Africa in Motion : Music Documentary Afternoon. Heavy metal and electronica in Africa? Yes! Africa is changing fast. Electro Chaabi (cert.15) offers an insight into the mindset of today’s restless Egyptian youth, focusing on this new underground craze, a dance form ‘combining punk spirit with a hip-hop attitude, set against a furious cascade of drum, bass and electronic vocals.’ Meanwhile March  of the Gods: Botswana Metalheads (cert.15) explores the life of the Heavy Metal Brotherhood in Botswana and the struggle of a band called Wurst, who end up on stage at SoloMacello in Milan. 1.30pm (Electro Chaabi) and 3pm (March of the Gods), Lecture Room 017, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Free. Both films are subtitled. See The Edinburgh Reporter’s article about the Africa in Motion Festival here.

Leith School of Art Open Days: come and find out more about the range of courses on offer at the School, from part-time day and evening classes to weekend workshops, the full-time one year Foundation and Graduate Studies courses and the six-week Summer School. 10am-3pm, Leith School of Art, 25 North Junction Street (St James Campus on Leith Links also open). All welcome, no need to book – but if you are bringing a group please let the School know your planned time of arrival. If you would like a portfolio review, please call the school in advance. Also open at same times on Wednesday 29th October.

Organisation for Promoting Afghan Women’s Capabilities (OPAWC): Latifa Ahmadi, director of OPAWC, will talk about current issues and what OPAWC does. OPAWC was founded in 2003 by a group of women eager to do something proactive, concrete and achievable to empower Afghan women, focusing on literacy, practical wage-earning skills and health. More information here.  7-9pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street.

A Royal Passion: Queen Victoria and Photography. Anne Lyden, International Photography Curator at NGS, explores Queen Victoria’s role in shaping the history of photography – and photography’s role in shaping the image of the Queen. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery. Free and unticketed.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents MJ Carey: The Girl With All The Gifts. ‘Every morning Mary waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun trained on her whilst two of his people strap her into her wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite. But they don’t laugh. Mary is a very special girl.’ MR Carey is the pen name of an established writer of prose fiction and comic books. ‘A must for fans of the sci-fi/fantasy genre’. 6.30-7.45pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from Blackwell’s front desk or by calling 0131 622 8218.

Lunchtime Concert: Oliver Webber (violin), Christopher Suckling (cello) and Jan Waterfield (harpsichord) play Corelli Sonata Op.5 No.7 in D Minor, JS Bach excerpts from The Art of Fugue, Domenico Gabrielli Sonata in G, Merulo Toccata Quinta from Primo Libro (1598), Rognoni Divisions on lo son ferito and Geminiani A Selection of Scottish Airs. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free.

Commonwealth Stories of World War One: Scottish-Canadian storyteller Phyllis Davison evokes the many experiences and connections of ‘the war to end war.’ 2-3pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014. Also available at same time on Thursday 30th October.

Edible Gardening Seasonal Advice: drop in to find out how to grow your own food, and take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project Team. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.

Ma La Divisa Di Un Altro Colore: author Pietro Neglie in conversation with Professor Philip Cooke (University of Strathclyde) for World Italian Language Week. In 1915 a religious peasant from Friuli and an electrician from Rome are both called to the front. After the war their paths diverge, one joining the fascist party, the other becoming a trade unionist, socialist and partisan. Many years later history brings them back together. The event will be chaired by Dr Davide Messina (University of Edinburgh) and will be in English and Italian with simultaneous translation provided. 6pm, Italian Cultural Institute, 82 Nicolson Street.

Alan Bruford Memorial Lecture: Lost Horizon or Living Landscape? Place, Time and People in Gaelic Tradition. For most visitors, and many Scots, the Highlands of Scotland – the Gaidhealtachd – suggst a region of misty mountains, the odd ruined castle perched by a loch and the perfect holiday spot for the romantic imagination. Dr Virginia Blankenhorn presents songs and stories from the Scottish Studies Archives to illustrate the relationship of ordinary Gaels with the lands they inhabited – the people and events that shaped them and the memories of those taken abroad and forced to emigrate from home. 6.30-7.20pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile. Free tickets can be booked via the Storytelling Centre Box Office, online, by phone or in person. Organised by the Department of Celtic and Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, as part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Geographies of the Prime Meridian: the prime meridian – 0 degrees longitude – is where the world begins in space and time. From 1884 it has been at Greenwich in the UK. In this illustrated talk Charles Withers, Ogilvie Chair of Geography at the University of Edinburgh and co-author of the award-winning Scotland: Mapping the Nation, will examine the many different prime meridians in use before and after 1884, and explore the complex geographies and politics of this seemingly simple world-defining feature. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required via the NLS website or by calling 0131 623 3734.

The Scots in Poland: a Forgotten Diaspora. An illustrated talk by writer and broadcaster Billy Kay, author of The Scottish World. Drawing on a lifetime of exploring, writing and broadcasting about Scots, their culture and journeys across the globe, Billy Kay reflects on the history of the Scots in Poland. He will celebrate the historic cultural connections that developed between  Poland and Scotland, and illustrate the talk with clips from his Radio Scotland series Merchants, Pedlars, Mercenaries and Societies with Secrets. He will also compare and contrast the present day Polish migration to Scotland with the heyday of the Scottish Brotherhoods which existed in twelve Polish cities in the 17th century. How many of the Poles living in Scotland today are in fact Scots returning to their original homeland? 6-8pm,  McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite. Part of From Poland With Love: Scottish-Polish Cultural Week.

To Absent Friends – Scrapbooking Workshop. To Absent Friends is a festival of storytelling and remembrance, held for the first time 1st-7th November 2014. At this event you can remember, celebrate, tell stories and reminisce about people you love who have died, by scrapbooking a favourite photo of a loved one. Bring a photo 6″ x 4″ or smaller; all other materials will be supplied, but if you have any small pieces of memorabilia or something special you would like to include, please feel free to bring these along. 2-4pm, George Washington Browne Room,  Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but please book via eventbrite.

St Mary’s RC Cathedral Tuesday Concerts: Jeremy Filsell (piano), Rebecca Kellerman Petratta (lyric soprano) and Simon Nieminski (cathedral organist) play Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto and French music for piano, organ and voice. 7.30pm, St Mary’s RC Cathedral. Free: retiring collection.

Edinburgh artist Wendy Helliwell is about to unveil a special piece of work, using a very unusual medium that could save lives.

After months of collecting unwanted cosmetics with her fundraising partner Marjory Kenny, she has completed the stunning 8 x 3.5 foot “Shades of Life” using lipsticks, eye shadows, mascaras and other products.

The art work will be auctioned off to raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer  starting on 3 November 2014 and closing at the launch night of the Edinburgh Art Fair at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on 13 November 2014. More details of how to bid are on the eBay page.

The completion of the piece of makeup art is the finale of the CHECK YOU campaign launched on Mother’s Day this year to encourage people to touch, look and check their bodies as well as check products they are using to ensure they are safe.

Mothers’ Day was chosen in memory of Wendy’s mum Diane Blair who died of breast cancer at the age of 56. She carried the BRCA 1 gene, which Wendy and her sister also carry. Both have since had similar surgery to Angelina Jolie.

Three months from the launch of CHECK YOU, the amazing results of the collection were revealed in a make-up mountain during the summer. Artist Wendy used the material collected from all over the UK as well as in Canada, Australia and America. A ferry trip to the Orkneys was also required by Marjory as news of the collection spread on Facebook!

The campaign went viral on social media even BEFORE the official launch with celebrities like Grant Stott, singer Michelle McManus, presenter Cat Cubie, Miss Scotland 2014 Ellie McKeating, actress Annabelle Apsiom (Monica from Shameless), STV journalists and the entire BBC news team offering donations, tweeting their followers and offering their support.

Wendy , a mum of two from Cammo, said: “Early detection saves lives and we want to support Breakthrough’s touch, look, check breast awareness campaign in an unusual way which reflects our own businesses, “ she said. “What happened took our breath away. More than 60 businesses throughout Edinburgh – gyms, Lawyers, banks, travel companies, hairdressers, cafes and retail stores – offered to be collection points, to advertise the campaign or to store the products. We can’t thank them enough!”

Marjory from Bellevue, Edinburgh is a member of Breakthrough 100 – businesswomen in Scotland who pledge to raise money for the charity. This is her second fundraising campaign for Breakthrough and she also donates pure Arbonne skin oil directly to breast cancer patients for use on scars after surgery.

She said: “Every inch of this fabulous piece of art represents a lipstick or an eyeshadow donated by someone who got our touch, look, check message.  We Have had so many supporters and know of several who have discovered they were suffering from breast cancer during our campaign.

“We are now asking our supporters and businesses who have helped to spread the word of the CHECK YOU auction on ebay’s special charity pages to make sure we raise the most money we can for Breakthrough’s vital research.”

CHECK YOU was the result of a chance meeting at a Breakthrough event in the Scottish Parliament. Wendy had already completed a collage of old make-up which caught Marjory’s eye when it exhibited at Hemma near Holyrood.

“It was absolutely stunning art work,” said Marjory.” Only a few days before I had had a makeup ‘dump and demo’ night as part of my business when unwanted cosmetics were replaced by the pure Arbonne range after people had the chance to try them out. So I had plenty of supplies for Wendy.

“It seemed the perfect opportunity to team up and support the charity we are both so passionate about. For me the importance of regular checking is vital – not just your body but also what’s in your products eg lead in lipstick, dangerous mineral oil and parabens in skincare and general toxins. It just makes sense to stay healthy!”

Victoria Sampson from Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says: “It’s a sad fact that breast cancer is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer amongst women in Scotland with over 4,500 women diagnosed every year. We urge every woman to be breast aware and know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and Wendy and Marjory are helping us spread that message.

“The day when we make the ultimate breakthrough – freedom from breast cancer – is on its way, but we can only get there with the help of our amazing supporters.”

To support CHECK YOU or find out more about the auction on ebay charity pages visit:-

FACEBOOK – www.facebook.com/CHECKYOU

JUSTGIVING – www.justgiving.com/CHECKYOU

Twitter –  @CHECKYOU2014

Dawne McFarlane first visited Vancouver Island over 25 years ago. Coming from Toronto, she had hardly seen the sea before – but now she was heading for the remote north of the island; friends were working as wilderness guides for the summer and wanted her to join them on a kayaking trip. That September she was to discover places and people that have helped to shape the rest of her life. She also saw for the first time one of the most beautiful animals on this planet, the orca whale.

On Sunday Dawne, a professional storyteller, (as was her Scottish grandfather, who served in the Black Watch during the Great War) led a spellbinding session at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, in which she spoke about her life-changing trip to Hanson Island, British Columbia.

Dawne began the evening by playing a recording of orca sounds. Orca (or killer whales) live in ‘clans’, and make these sounds by taking air in and forcing it out through their foreheads; research has shown that different clans use different dialects to communicate. Orca are highly intelligent and social creatures who have been swimming in every ocean in the world for millions of years; they are honoured by First Nation people, who call them ‘the revered one’ and sometimes bring them offerings of abalone shells. When Dawne set off for Vancouver on her first trip, one of her greatest hopes was that she might catch a glimpse of these magnificent animals; her hopes were to be richly fulfilled.

Vancouver is on the west coast of Canada; from there the Pacific Ocean stretches out to Japan.  Arriving for the first time in this land of snow-capped mountains and huge trees, Dawne followed a route that many Scots have taken before her, across to Vancouver Island then north to Telegraph Cove on Johnston Strait. The departure point for the kayak trip was Alert Bay, a First Nation settlement – it seemed tiny at the time, but later, on her return from the wilderness, it was to appear more like ‘a seething metropolis’. In Alert Bay she saw totems decorated with carvings of eagles, bears, wolves, salmon – and orca. Traveling northwards, the group camped in fragrant cedar forests and on remote and beautiful clam-shell beaches; one night Dawne was privileged to see the Northern Lights, then she heard ‘what sounded like an electric charge’.  Orcas were gliding through the bay in the darkness, their dorsal fins standing up in the water. And they were breathing together, in harmony.

As they paddled up an inlet, the kayakers came across an abandoned First Nation settlement; beautiful buildings stood empty, totems were decaying, returning to the earth. ‘I could hear’, says Dawne, ‘the lamentations of the children torn from their mothers, of the people torn from their ancient homelands, the cries of separation.’ Then the weather changed, and they were kayaking through wind, rain and fog; ‘I trusted my friends, and I surrendered to a nature that was so much bigger than me.’ As the storm passed, a perfect cove appeared; the group camped on soft ground and walked ‘in the ancient growth of the central rainforests’; they saw red, white and orange fungi;  above them towered hemlock, spruce and fir trees – and giant cedars. Dawne invited the audience onto the stage to link hands and form a circle – this, she explained, was the circumference of the largest tree, ‘Grandmother Cedar.’

Dawne’s friends had more than one purpose in choosing their course; they planned to visit Paul Spong, and had even carried a bottle of wine in one of the kayaks as a gift. Paul has spent many years researching orca in Queen Charlotte Strait, founding OrcaLab at Hanson Island in 1970. Shortly after Dawne arrived the cry of ‘Orca!’ was heard – ‘people appeared from nowhere, out of the forest, running towards the observation platform, already looking out for the whales – and they knew their names’.  These were researchers at the Lab; they recognised the individual orca not only by their physical characteristics but also by their sounds. Even as the whales passed out of sight, their haunting songs could be heard via the Lab’s hydrophones. Dawne was captivated.

Paul Spong was originally guided to Hanson Bay – a summer breeding ground for orca – by First Nation people. OrcaLab is now an internationally recognised centre, its guiding principle being ‘research without interference.’ Spong describes Hanson Bay as ‘the place of my heart’ – a sentiment shared by Dawne, who struggled to leave and has since revisited many times with her own family. Orca, says Spong, ‘could destroy one another in a moment – but they don’t; they know how to manage power and relationships.’

Dawne ended the session with a song:

‘We are crossing the water our whole lives through,

We are making a passage that is straight and true,

Every heart is a vessel, every dream is a light,

Shining through the darkness of the darkest night’

The very last words were left to the orca, their enchanting songs echoing through the room as they crossed the water, breathing in harmony.

More information about OrcaLab can be found here.

The Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014 continues this week, ending on Sunday 2nd November. The full programme is available from the link below or pick up a paper copy from the Centre and other venues.

http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/SSC-Fest-2014-Webv21.pdf

Patients and families affected by muscular dystrophy or a related condition come together in Edinburgh

When: Saturday 15 November 2014 from 2pm to 4pm

Where: Scottish Muscle Group meeting in Edinburgh at Holiday Inn Edinburgh, 132 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, Midlothian, EH12 6UA

What:
People from across Scotland affected by muscular dystrophy or related neuromuscular conditions will be coming together in Edinburgh on Saturday the 15th of November for a meeting of the Scottish Muscle Group.

The Scottish Muscle Group, organised by the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, is a support and information group for people and their families with muscle wasting conditions. Meetings are an opportunity for them to come to meet others facing similar challenges, as well as a chance to discuss the types of support that help them to live with and manage their condition.
The forthcoming meeting will be focused on adjustments and adaptations, as well as a chance to share tips and advice about accessing local support.

If you would like to attend or would like further information, please contact Mariana Pierotti on 07711 591904 or email m.pierotti@muscular-dystrophy.org

Submitted by Jake Murtaugh

Police in Edinburgh are appealing for witnesses following two incidents of serious assault, which occurred last night (Sunday, October 26).

The first incident occurred at Melville Bar, William Street at around 8:30pm. A 46-year-old man was attacked and suffered facial injuries. He was treated at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

The second incident occurred at Scotts Bar, Rose Street at around 9pm. Two men, aged 29 and 30 years old, were attacked by a group of men when they entered the bar. Both victims also sustained facial injuries and were taken for treatment at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Police believe these incidents may be football related and are now eager to speak to any witnesses.

The man sought in connection to the first incident in Melville Bar is described as white and around 5ft 8” in height. He has a medium build is either in his 30s or 40s. He was wearing a white or grey fleece.

Four men are sought in connection to the incident at Scotts Bar.

The first man is described as white and between 20 and 25 year-old. He is around 5ft 11”, with a slim build and dark brown hair gelled forward. He was wearing a white zipped top with green and white football top underneath.

The second man is white, in his mid 30s with a medium build and a bald head. He was wearing a khaki green jacket.

The third man is also white, between 35 and 45 years old, with a large build. He has short ginger/brown hair and was wearing a beige jumper. He also has a scar on his left cheek.

The final man is also described as white, in his mid 20s with a medium build. He has dark brown hair and full beard. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a navy jacket.

Detective Sergeant Lynsey Thomson who is leading the investigation says “I would appeal to members of the public who were within the premises at the time or who may have seen these people in the area to get in touch with the police.”

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

So it’s Halloween on Friday and you need the perfect pumpkin for your window at home or to display in your shop. We have the answer!

Allison Thornton at Apeeling fruit bouquets will carve your pumpkin for you. Sometimes she can even deliver it to your home or business!

When she gave up her job as a PA Allison set up her business customising fruit bouquets for weddings, events or gifts to give to your friends.

These mouth-watering bouquets can include anything from the normal chocolate strawberry to the bride to be bouquet with juicy pineapple hearts and strawberries dressed to look like a cute bride and groom.

But the enterprising Allison also runs carving classes from as little as £20 per person to teach you how to do the carving of fruit and vegetables for your next dinner party!

Contact Allison through Facebook, her website or telephone 07887 389 992

Here she shows you how easy it is to create a Tinkerbell pumpkin! (First buy the right kind of pumpkin. All supermarkets have carving pumpkins – and you need sharp knives.)

Buy your pumpkin for Halloween here from Phyllis Stephen on Vimeo.

Apeeling fruit bouquets is in the Top 100 as chosen by Small Business Saturday which takes place on 6 December 2014 across the UK.

The countdown to this year’s Small Business Saturday event when small, independent businesses in communities across the country will be in the national spotlight -began in Scotland with a launch earlier this month in the City Chambers.

You can see Allison here on the left of the photograph:

Councillor Frank Ross, Economy Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council, said he was delighted to see the return of Small Business Saturday following last year’s successful launch. He said: “The pre-Christmas period is an important time for many retailers and events like this help stimulate interest and sales for independent traders.

“I would encourage everyone to support their local shops and other businesses every Saturday but especially on Small Business Saturday 6 December as vibrant town centres are crucial to the success of Edinburgh’s economy. “The Capital is home to a diverse and prolific range of independent retailers and other small enterprises across our town centres and beyond. Around 200,000 people live within 1km catchment of our town centres and over 25,000 people are employed within their immediate area which is why we’re committed to continuing with our Building Stronger Town Centres programme.”

‎Also speaking at the Edinburgh launch was Mark Roper, Head of Merchant Services UK at American Express, which originated the Small Business Saturday concept in the USA in 2010 and which remains a prominent supporter of Small Business Saturday in the UK. He said:

“American Express recognises the huge contribution small businesses make to the UK economy. As the founder of Small Business Saturday in the USA four years ago, we are delighted to be actively supporting the campaign in the UK. We look forward to working alongside other supporters to champion independent businesses and encourage everyone to get involved and support small businesses up and down the country.”

Featured article

Flybe launched its new route from Edinburgh to London City Airport in a major expansion, providing direct links for customers from Edinburgh to the heart of London’s financial district.  In addition the carrier is beginning flights from Aberdeen, Belfast City, Exeter, Dublin and Inverness offering the domestic route to passengers from across the UK and Ireland.

Six purple Flybe planes were christened in the “Spirit of the Regions” theme and a naming ceremony took place at Edinburgh Airport by Colin Keir MSP, Edinburgh Western Constituency & Convener of the Cross Party Group on Aviation in the Scottish Parliament alongside Matthew Bennett of Flybe. Together they unveiled   “Spirit of Edinburgh” aircraft, ahead of the inaugural flight’s take off:

Colin Keir MSP, said: “I’m delighted that Flybe are investing in the Edinburgh-London City link. It gives an alternative, particularly those involved in business to travel between the two major financial centres in the UK without using Heathrow.

“Edinburgh is the business gateway to Scotland and with its booming economy I am convinced that this service will prove to be highly successful.”

Keith Brown MSP and Transport Minister, added: “This new service is great news for business and tourism in Scotland, offering passengers a route between Edinburgh and the heart of London.

“This link will be a major boost for business travellers, improving connectivity between the two cities, and it gives passengers even more choice when it comes to visiting Edinburgh and experiencing the fantastic tourist offering in Scotland’s capital.

“I’m delighted to see this service take off this morning and we will continue to support Edinburgh Airport’s efforts to grow the number of routes to and from the city.”

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: “London is our most popular domestic destination and the addition of four new daily flights to London City is great news for our passengers.

“Business travellers will be able to take full advantage of fast and efficient services right into the heart of London and the convenient connections for their onward journey.

“We’re committed to offering our customers the best choice and are delighted to be launching these new services with Flybe.”

Saad Hammad, CEO of Flybe said: “From today, purple Flybe aircraft will be a regular feature in the skies between Edinburgh and London City as we begin our new regular daily services.  This can only benefit our brand profile and reach over the longer term as knowledge of Flybe’s role in connecting Scotland with London becomes more widespread.

“Our new London City routes provide direct links for customers travelling to the heart of London’s financial district. They also offer City of London and Canary Wharf customers faster and more efficient access to the UK regions and neighbouring European destinations than travelling via Heathrow or Gatwick, or travelling by road or rail.”

Flybe expects that 128,000 passengers annually will fly on the new route.  The airline  will offer up to three flights a day between Edinburgh to London with prices starting from £39.99 one way.

As announced on 10 October, Flybe customers will also be able to collect Avios travel rewards from today.

Picture shows: l to r – Matt Bennett of Flybe. Colin Keir MSP for Edinburgh Western. Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport.

Following Johann Lamont’s sensational resignation from the leadership of Scottish Labour, many political commentators suggest the party is in disarray. 

Candidates for leadership will be invited to declare their candidacy from today. MPs, MSPs and MEPs nominations will open on Friday 31st October and close on Tuesday 4th November. The ballot commences Monday 17th November and the new leader will be announced on Saturday 13th December.

Speaking following the meeting of the executive held in Glasgow yesterday, Chair of the Scottish Labour Party, Jamie Glackin said:

“The Scottish Executive Committee agreed unanimously on the timetable and process for electing a new leader to take the Scottish Labour Party forward.

“I am pleased the timetable will balance the need for a speedy transition with the clear desire among members to both make their voice heard and hear the prospective cases from the candidates for leader.”

“A number of events will be held across Scotland before Scottish Labour’s new leader is announced on December 13th and I look forward to working with whoever the new leader is to take forward Labour values into Government in 2015 and 2016.”

Anas Sarwar MP, Interim Leader of the Scottish Labour Party said, “Johann Lamont’s decision to put the interests of the Labour Party and the Labour movement ahead of her own shows once again her selflessness.”

“When the Scottish Labour Party needed someone to step up, the person who answered the call was Johann Lamont. Johann lifted the party when it needed it most, led the party to success in the 2012 Council elections, to by-election wins and, most importantly, to a successful referendum result which saw over 2 million people vote to remain part of the UK.”

“I want to thank Johann for all the support and advice she has given me over the past three years. I am clear she will continue to pursue with great vigour the causes close to her heart, causes which brought her into politics in the first place.”

“The Scottish Labour Party will now consider and set out in due course the process for electing a new leader as we continue to work to return a Labour Government at the General Election in 2015 and in the Scottish Parliament elections in 2016.”

“In the interim we will also not lose sight of the fact that under the Tories and the SNP inequality is rising, the number of children in poverty is going up, Scotland’s NHS is in crisis and college places are being cut and we will continue to hold both Governments to account.”

Meantime some are mooting the possibility of Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP, Malcolm Chisholm as a caretaker leader.

@BBCRadioScot Ian Bell recommends Malcolm Chisholm

— Donald Mackay (@dbbaye) October 27, 2014

Although Mr Chisholm may have his own ideas:

Malcolm Chisholm says he will try to persuade reluctant Kezia Dugdale to stand for Scottish Labour leader. #bbccrossfire.

— Iain Macwhirter (@iainmacwhirter) October 26, 2014

You don’t need a degree in Social Anthropology from Cambridge University to play jazz but it certainly helped pianist and composer Philip Clouts.

South Africa-born Clouts, who brings his new quartet to the Jazz Bar in Edinburgh on Sunday, November 2, had just finished his studies at Cambridge when he had an epiphany. Realising that he wanted to contribute to his own culture instead of studying other ones, he decided to concentrate on music and specifically the South African jazz style that had followed him to London, where he grew up.

“At that time in the 1980s there were many exiled South African musicians in London,” he says. “Some, like Dudu Pukwana, the great saxophonist, had come over in the 1960s, as my own family had done, with the Blue Notes who became celebrated very quickly for their vibrant music. But there were others from a younger generation, including drummers Brian Abrahams and Thebe Lipere and for me most notably the pianist Bheki Mseleku who was a great source of inspiration and who mentored me for a short while.”

The group Clouts formed on returning to London from Cambridge, Zubop, benefited as a whole from the exiled musicians’ input into their playing. As well as Mseleku showing Clouts the ropes, Thebe Lipere joined Zubop for their first few gigs, playing his distinctive African drum kit, and with this “rubber stamping” of their efforts, the band went on to be very popular on the live music circuit, subsequently expanding into ZubopGambia, which featured the BBC World Music Awards-winning riti, or one-string fiddle, player Juldeh Camara.

In 2006, Clouts decided to leave London for Dorset and began a new phase of music-making inspired by the coast where he lives. He continues to draw inspiration from South African music and from music from all around the world, including Cuba and South America, but something of his father, respected poet Sydney Clouts’ talent has emerged also in Clouts’ compositions that have been inspired by the Dorset landscape.

“There are ways in which my composing has been shaped by both my father and my uncle Cyril Clouts, who was a musician and composer too,” says Clouts, whose new group features saxophonist Tom Ward, bassist Tim Fairhall and the Yamaha Jazz Scholarship-winning drummer Dave Ingamells. “Cyril created very expressive music in the 1960s and 1970s and my father was profoundly affected by the landscape around Cape Town, and I like to think that living near the sea has drawn me closer to his ability to express his response to nature, except I use notes where he used words.”

Philip Clouts appears at The Edinburgh Jazz Bar, 1A Chambers Street EH1 1HR on 2 November 2014. More details here.

When you visit any city and see homeless people begging on the streets it cannot be anything other than a statement about the city itself. We have a number of people sitting on our pavements who beg from residents and visitors alike, but these are not the people who necessarily fall within the designation of homeless.

There are others who really fit within the category and who require council assistance to find a new home. This might be a result of a variety of factors and is not always the fault of the individual themselves.

In an effort to address these problems an innovative new pilot scheme to reduce homelessness has been launched by the council.

Focusing on resolving and preventing homelessness, a range of specialist services will be delivered through a partnership with third sector organisations the Bethany Christian Trust, Edinburgh Cyrenian Trust, Foursquare and CHAI (Community Help and Advice Initiative). The partnership hails the beginning of a new collaborative approach to supporting people in the capital who are at risk of losing their homes.

The council, providers and service users are working in partnership to rebalance housing support services and place more emphasis on prevention, through mentoring, befriending, group work and visits from housing support staff. This approach will help resolve some of the crises that lead to homelessness and also deliver initial savings of £400,000, with potential further savings in the future.

The council’s Housing Leader, Councillor Cammy Day, said: “Taking early action is the best way to combat homelessness. It is vital that we act quickly so we can prevent more people from losing their homes and better protect their well-being.

“By working alongside our third sector partners, we can gain from their expertise and deliver the highest standard of support to those who need it across Edinburgh. This way we can tackle the root causes of homelessness and provide important advice on budgeting and tenancy issues, to build a better future for those at risk and help them to keep their homes.”

The pilot will provide:

Budgeting and debt advice (including rent, utility bills and fuel poverty)

Information about benefits, including changes due to welfare reform

Advice about tenancy issues and housing options

Links to employment, including volunteering, education and training

Help to avoid social isolation

People who are homeless and in temporary and insecure accommodation will also receive support to move into more sustainable accommodation, in both the public and private sectors.

Iain Gordon of SHAPE, the umbrella organisation representing the third sector partners, said: “Our hope is that this new way of working will help people who find themselves at risk of becoming homeless to be more secure in their homes, so that they can live active and productive lives.”

The latest in the moo-ving story of the Kyloe Cow is that the appeal by owners Signature Pub Group to Scottish Ministers has failed. This means that the cow must be taken down from its vantage point high on the wall outside the West End restaurant.

In an interesting development it appears that the back half of the cow which is within the interior of the building does not require consent, so perhaps the owners will retain that half?

The almost life-size fibreglass cow was put up in 2011 and is an advert for the steak emporium. The owners contended that it was one of the most attractive adverts within the area.

The company originally applied to The City of Edinburgh Council to have permission granted for the cow but this was refused in May this year. The pub group then appealed that decision to the Scottish Ministers who have just refused their appeal, notwithstanding all of the company’s attempts to persuade the planning reporter otherwise. During their arguments they explained that during the tramworks it was necessary to do everything possible to identify the restaurant for passers by. The outside of the premises was described by the owners as ‘uninviting’ during the time of disruption.

A Save the Kyloe Cow petition was signed by around 2,600 people supporting the restaurant owners contention that it should be allowed to remain in place. Some people sent in comments suggesting that the council and the Scottish Government might have better things to do with their time.

The West End Community Council  had suggested that a temporary permission be granted. All of this has fallen on deaf ears however and The reporter was keen to avoid setting any precedent for other advertising features such as this one.  The decision is that the advertisement is ‘contrary to the interest of amenity’.

We asked Signature Pub Group for a comment but they declined.

Stolen sheepdog, Scottish Borders

A working sheepdog was stolen from a farm near Cockburnspath on Saturday evening and Police in Eyemouth would like to hear from any potential witnesses.

‘Floss’, a 3 year old Border Collie, who is predominantly white at the front, is described as a small working dog with a friendly temperament.  Officers are particularly keen to trace four females who were in the area earlier enquiring about dogs for sale.

Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101, or alternatively, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Golden Hare October Book Group: The Village Against The World by Dan Hancox. Author and Guardian journalist Dan’s ‘vivid and even-handed book’ is a fascinating and highly entertaining true account of life in the unique Spanish village of Marinaleda, a small village that has bucked the trend of the Spanish economic crash with 100% employment through the years of austerity and depression. Marinaleda’s secret is a kind of old-fashioned socialism underpinned by values of collectivism and solidarity that many thought had vanished at the end of the Cold War – but does it offer a viable alternative to global capitalism in the 21st century? Come along for what promises to be a lively discussion. 6.30pm, Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge.

Tea Dance at the Portrait Gallery: a spirited tea dance with a wartime theme, inspired by the exhibition Remembering the Great War. Sing and dance along with hosts the Flyright Dance Company and enjoy live music provided by That Swing Sensation. Suitable for community groups including care homes and those affected by dementia. 2-4pm, Great Hall, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but please call the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560 to book your place. Part of Luminate: Scotland’s Creative Ageing Festival.

Gilmerton Library Writers’ Group: a brand new group to which everyone is invited, whether you like experimenting with fiction, poetry or plays. 6.30pm, Gilmerton Library, 13 Newtoft Street. For more information call 0131 529 5652.

Having Put Herself in the Picture: Tracing a Line Through Kate Davis’ Recent Work. Art historian Dr Dominic Paterson introduces a number of Kate Davis’ works, spanning the period between the series Who is a Woman Now? (2008) and video installation Denkmal (2013). The talk will particularly address Davis’ use of the medium of drawing, often in combination with objects or films, to articulate feminist visual politics and aesthetics. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery. Free and unticketed.

LGBT Workshop – What is Art Therapy? Meet with art therapists to learn what this therapy actually involves and to find out about individual and group options available at Howe Street. 6.30-7.30pm (within weekly drop-in session, which runs 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street.

Stories and Songs of Sir Walter Scott: Borders storyteller Mary Kenny introduces the songs and stories of Scott in the anniversary year of his first novel, Waverley. A session for adults. 2-3pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014. Also available at same time on Wednesday 29th October.

Tiger Tales: a new parent and child craft and story session for 4-8 year olds after school. Each session will consist of a story and a related craft or activity. 3.30-4.15pm today and every last Monday in the month, South Neighbourhood Office and Library, 40 Captain’s Road. The library has more information and a display of the books.

Edible Gardening Seasonal Advice: drop in to find out how to grow your own food, and take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project Team. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required. Also available at same times on Tuesday 28th October.

Scotland’s Traditional Tales with Lari Don: Lari Don introduces a super new series of illustrated tales, and shares her version of Tam of the Linn and other fantastic Scottish stories. For ages 4-7. 2.30-3.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but please book via eventbrite. Part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Studying Elsewhere – Stories of Learning Abroad. University of Edinburgh exchange students share the stories they gathered while living and learning abroad.  Is narrative the clue to understanding another culture and being ‘found in translation’? 4-5.30pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile. Free tickets can be booked via the Storytelling Centre Box Office, online, by phone or in person. Part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

The Great War At Sea: a presentation by Andrew Grant and David Seaton looking at the broad areas of conflict and war at sea, and focusing on ships from Leith and Newhaven and the individuals who served in them. 6.30-7.30pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. Please call the library on 0131 529 5517 or email leith.library@edinburgh.gov.uk to book your place.

Tour of the National Library: a guided tour of the NLS building and and an introduction to the collections and history. 2-2.45pm,  National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is essential as numbers are limited: book via the NLS website or by calling 0131 623 3734. Please inform the Library of any special access requirements.

City Lights: an exhibition of photography created by Alex and Gabiela Ingle to celebrate the renewed city partnership between Krakow and Edinburgh. This unique collection of images is a tribute to the cities’ similarities and shared beauty. Continues during usual opening hours until 31st October 2014, McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Part of the Scottish Polish Cultural Association City Lights Project.

Creature Features! 1950s classic horror double bill with The Fly and Invaders from Mars. With 1950s-themed fancy dress competition and more. 6.45-10.45pm, Drumbrae Library Hub, 81 Drumbrae Drive. To book your place call the library on 0131 529 5244 or email drumbrae.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

Film Night: War Horse (2011). In the deadly chaos of the First World War, one horse witnesses the reality of battle from both sides of the trenches. Cert. 12. 6.30-8.30pm, St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace. Free. (Shown as part of Gorgie War Memorial Hall’s World War One Commemoration Events.)

The Edinburgh Philosophy and Psychology Group October Meeting: Women’s Work! Many career areas seem to have significant gender imbalances – what causes them? Are there women’s or men’s jobs? The group’s discussions are non-academic, with members coming from a range of ages, backgrounds and nationalities. Non-members are welcome, and meetings are free, with free sandwiches! Attendance is usually around 20 people. 8-9.30pm, The Links Hotel and Bar, 4 Alvanley Terrace. Please RSVP if you plan to go along.

Polish Bookbug: storytelling for young children. 10.30am, McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Part of From Poland With Love: Scottish-Polish Cultural Week.

Scottish Government prepare for Amber Alert

For the Fallen

Mohammed Asghar

Capital Voices Choir

Teapot Trust

Transport Minister Keith Brown chaired a Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) meeting yesterday, following the Met Office ‘Amber’ Alert for prolonged and heavy rain until Tuesday morning, and disruption due to flooding.

While the majority of travel modes at a national level are largely unaffected including aviation, road and rail – high winds and heavy rain have caused ferry cancellations and restrictions on some roads and bridges, with further disruption to travel likely to continue in some areas, particularly the north west.

Following the launch last week of the Scottish Government’s ‘Ready for Winter’ campaign, Mr Brown said the Scottish Government and its partners are monitoring weather events closely to ensure all of the necessary preparations are in place and ready to respond to events as required.

Speaking from the Scottish Government’s Traffic Control Centre at South Queensferry where he was co-ordinating the effort, Mr Brown said:

“Last week the Scottish Government launched its ‘Ready for Winter’ Campaign to raise awareness around the challenges winter can bring for communities across the country and highlight some of the preparations people can make to help mitigate the effects. This weekend’s Amber alert from the Met Office – the first of this winter – is another timely reminder that we are now moving into winter proper, and all of the sudden changes poor weather can bring.

“That is why the Scottish Government and its partners stand ready to respond to events as they arise.

“Today I chaired a Scottish Government Resilience Room meeting at our traffic control centre with responders including Transport Scotland, local authorities, Police Scotland and SEPA colleagues in attendance, to assess conditions and further weather forecasts and deal with any issues likely to affect travellers and local communities.

“We have already witnessed the effects of some high winds and very heavy rain over parts of the country, and the Met Office are indicating conditions are set to continue until Tuesday morning, so we should not be complacent. The majority of transport modes are largely unaffected at a national level including aviation, trunk roads motorways, and rail, however there are some local issues arising which we are watching closely and responding to as needed.

“The heavy rain is a particular problem and we have seen seen disruption to some local and trunk roads, in particular the A82, due to surface water, debris on the roads and flooding. Issues are being managed on the ground by the police and welfare issues resolved to get drivers on their way. High winds are also affecting access to road bridges and delays and cancellations to ferry services across the Clyde and Hebrides routes. There are also some delays on the Glasgow Central to Largs rail line at Kilwinning which rail travellers should be aware of.

“As usual we ask people setting out to be prepared and plan their journeys by listening to radio reports, visit the Traffic Scotland website or twitter feed, heed any police advice, and consult their local travel operators.

“We and our partners are working hard to make sure that Scotland is prepared for any disruption, and we will continue to monitor events through our national control centre and Scottish Government Resilience Room as required.”

***

The Edinburgh Reporter was in Waverley Station yesterday afternoon to capture the arrival of the special liveried train, East Coast Locomotive 91 111 For the Fallen.

Here is the video:

***

Sheila Gilmore MP for Edinburgh East is working to keep the UK government focused on the plight of Edinburgh man, Mohammed Asghar, who is detained in Pakistan. Ms Gilmore posed the question at Prime Minister’s Questions last week : “A few months ago, I raised with the Prime Minister the case of my former constituent Mr Mohammed Asghar, who was in prison in Pakistan. Since then, he has been shot in prison by a security guard. His family would like him returned to this country under a prisoner transfer agreement. What steps will the Prime Minister take to achieve that?”

The Prime Minister replied: “The Honorable Lady is absolutely right to raise this case. The way this man has been treated is appalling. It is particularly appalling that, as she said, he was shot while in prison, supposedly being protected by the Pakistani authorities. We have raised this case—and I have raised it personally—with the leaders of Pakistan, and we are obviously considering the case for a prisoner transfer, but those had to be suspended in recent years because Pakistan released prisoners whom we had returned to them. So there is a problem there. However, we take this case very seriously and are raising it at every level in Pakistan.”

***

Capital Voices Choir are just about to start a new term and they welcome new members.

They meet on Tuesdays @ 7pm -9pm in Greenbank Church Hall, South Morningside. Find them on Facebook – or call 07804 573 780.

They sing pop, soul, spirituals and country. “No music,no auditions- just sing and go home happy!”

***

On the evening of Thursday October 30 at 6.00 PM the Scottish charity, the Teapot Trust (http://www.teapot-trust.org/), celebrates its 4^th birthday with a special reception at the prestigious George Hotel, 19-21 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PB.

The reception will reveal a gallery of childrens’ posters produced by children affected by chronic illnesses and there will be a short speech by special guest Sir Kenneth Calman.

The event is free of charge and will demonstrate how the charity provides professional art therapy in a medical environment to children coping with chronic illness.  Its work focuses on supporting thousands of children each year suffering from complex rheumatological diseases, including Lupus.

Dedicated Teapot Trust art therapists work in medical settings, including clinics, hospital wards, and hospices, in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Kinross to support children coping with the emotional and mental strain that so often accompanies their battle with illness.

The Charity’s Founder, and Tesco Charitable Mum of the Year Laura Young and her team will be on hand to explain the work of the amazing organisation and the wonderful success they have achieved.

There will be also be a special announcement about the charity’s growth plans and the expansion of the Teapot Trust’s work beyond Scotland.  The charity started initially in Edinburgh and now stretches to five other Scottish cities.

Look at who’s blown in on the wild west winds we’ve been having for the last few days…. 78,970 pink-footed geese, according to the bird counters at the Scottish Wildlife Trust’s reserve at Montrose Basin. It’s a record number, possibly because of the wind-assisted passage they’ve had this year from Iceland and Greenland.

In contrast, one poor little hermit thrush from America has been blown across the Atlantic against his will by hurricane Gonzalo and is trying to hid from the twitchers in North Uist. He’s only the 13th hermit thrush ever recorded in Britain.

What remained of the hurricane went on the cause further inconvenience along Scotland’s west coast on Tuesday. Winds of 88 mph caused ferry services to be cancelled, roads and bridges closed, power lines to come down and many islanders were forced to become hermits themselves and have some sympathy for their new American friend.

Back on the sheltered east coast, the devo-meisters were beginning work on that “Vow” to give the Scottish Parliament more powers. They sat smiling for the cameras around a large table, the chairman Lord Smith and two representatives from each of the parties – the SNP, Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and the Greens. Lord Smith assured us afterwards that the atmosphere had been constructive and that important principles had been agreed, among them that the Scottish talks were not to be linked, or held up in any way, by parallel discussions in England about “English votes for English laws” or the further powers proposed for Wales and Northern Ireland.

Everything must now be seen, of course, through the prism of the UK general election, only six months away now. Perhaps it’s not surprising then to see the economic figures improving. Growth is up to 2.6 per cent, while inflation is well under control at 1.2 per cent. Unemployment is down to 5.5 per cent in Scotland and 6 per cent across the UK. Less impressive is the youth unemployment rate of 22 per cent for young men and 11 per cent for young women. And much less impressive is average pay, only up by 0.9 per cent this year which has meant a real cut in living standards for the sixth year running.

The figures have led to an anguished debate about who has paid the price for the bankers’ crash. It’s been the young and the low-paid.

This week we’ve had to get used to being an environmentally-friendly country. A new 5p charge has been introduced on every plastic bag issued by shops and super-markets. We are catching up with Wales and Northern Ireland where a plastic-bag-levy has led to an 80 per cent fall in the number of bags strewn around the countryside and along their beautiful beaches. Apparently we Scots use 800 million carrier bags every year – more per head than any other part of the UK – and most of them we just throw away.

The bag makers – the Carrier Bag Consortium- have tried to confuse the issue by asking awkward questions about how the new levy is to be policed, where the 5p charge will go and which bags exactly are subject to the charge. But such details were quickly wrapped up and disposed of by the plastic bag police. Local authority environment health departments will follow up any reports of abuse. The proceeds from the 5p charge will go towards environmental charities. And the charge applies to all disposable bags with handles whether they are made of plastic or paper or any other irresponsible material.

Charging for irresponsible behaviour has been fashionable this week. Historic Scotland announced plans to levy a charge of £5 on anyone who is careless enough to wander into Glasgow Cathedral. Glaswegians have been doing this for free since the 12th century. So the announcement came as quite a shock to the City Council and the Church of Scotland who both expressed their “concern” (ie their outrage) at the suggestion.

But Historic Scotland says that someone must pay for the upkeep of fine old cathedrals. It points out that there’s already a charge for visiting Iona Abbey and St Andrews Cathedral. York Minster charges £10 a head and you won’t get into St Paul’s Cathedral in London for less than £16.50 unless you are a very deserving case. Christ may have driven the money-changers from the temple but…Historic Scotland, that won’t be so easy.

Think only modern architects make mistakes? Fondly imagine that if your house had been built in the 18th century you wouldn’t have that mouldy bathroom? Well think again! On Friday, as part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014,  Mercat Tours guide William led a trip through the Old Town and down into the Blair Street (or South Bridge) Vaults; en route he shared some fascinating stories.

After explaining the grisly punishments meted out to ‘criminals’ at the Mercat Cross, and the stomach-churning sanitation arrangements in the old closes and wynds, William shepherded the group to the entrance to Blair Street and down a candlelit spiral staircase to the Vaults themselves, where he began by explaining how they first came into being.

By the early 1800s, the Old Town had become unbearably overcrowded and insanitary, and plans were made to extend the city northwards. The Cowgate Gorge was in the way, so bridges were proposed, and in 1772 (after a false start, a partial collapse, and the loss of five lives) the first North Bridge opened. Financially, it had been a disaster – particularly when it was realised that most of the area was loose earth thrown down from the construction of older houses; much deeper foundations were needed, more debts were incurred – and another bridge was still needed to link the university and the Southside in general to the High Street and the New Town. No-one wanted to lose any more money (this was Edinburgh after all…), so plans were made to build shops and tenements on top of the new bridge, and vaults underneath it.  The vaults would be used by small traders – cloth dyers, cobblers, taverners, milliners – thus providing income for the owners and more space for local businesses in a city where space was at even more of a premium than it is today.

The trouble started before the Bridge had even been opened; the rich old lady who had been chosen to perform the ceremony died a week before the appointed date, and  – perhaps to save money, perhaps to avoid any rows about who should take her place – the city decided she would be as good dead as alive, and used her funeral procession to declare the Bridge open. Superstition being rife, local people were horrified; so far as they were concerned the Bridge was cursed, and many refused to cross it. Nevertheless, it was there, and plenty of tradesmen moved into the vaults.

Now vaults underneath houses, with rough earth floors, no windows, no fresh water, and certainly no lavatories, probably weren’t the best places to work – imagine being the boy whose job it was to take the pails up to the street for emptying….but pretty soon it became obvious that there were worse problems. In their haste to get the Bridge up and running, the builders had completely forgotten to put in any damp-proofing. Condensation started pouring down, floods were a regular occurrence; even now, as William pointed out as he led us through the chambers, stalactites can be seen growing from the top of the walls. After a time, even traders accustomed to life in the Old Town (which also had no lavatories, as it happens) had had enough. They moved out, and before long squatters moved in.

The people who took over the Vaults ranged from local impoverished slum dwellers and families fleeing the Highland Clearances to criminals. In amongst them were ‘respectable’ members of Edinburgh society who wanted to meet in secret for their own reasons – cross-dressing, for example, was unacceptable to the strict Presbyterianism of the day – so where better place to do what you wanted to do amongst friendly faces?  Illicit stills started up, providing the alehouses of the Cowgate with cheap liquour; the authorities turned a blind eye, especially as the ongoing war with France meant that little claret was entering the country – and with so many men away fighting it was hard enough to keep law and order above ground without worrying about what was going on below it.

This set of circumstances was, of course, perfect for a more sinister practice; bodysnatching. It was the time of Burke and Hare. A tunnel led from one of the vaults right to the centre of the old medical schools’ quad – there seems little doubt (although nothing has been proven) that it was used for transporting corpses. Snatched bodies – highly in demand at the time – could not be carried about in broad daylight (especially as they were taken naked, to avoid a sentence of transportation for theft of property), so they were probably stored in the Vaults until it was safe to take them into the university. It is also thought that bodysnatchers killed people living in the Vaults to add to their stockpile; it was unlikely that anyone would do much about the disappearance of the poor and the marginalised.

Eventually it was decided that all this nefarious activity had to be stopped. The Vaults were cleared – although this may have been as late as the 1870s – and filled up with tons of rubble and old stone from demolished tenements. What happened to the people who scraped a life under the Bridge? With no records surviving – or probably even kept in the first place – no-one knows.  The Vaults were ignored and forgotten for many years, until in the 1980s they were rediscovered by property developer and former Scottish Rugby International Norman ‘Norrie’ Rowan; he and his son decided to excavate them, finding all sorts of artifacts along the way. Some of the chambers are now used as bars, clubs or storage areas, and Mercat Tours has the use of two, which you can see today. Mercat also has a new Discovery Room, where you can handle items found during the excavations, a sedan chair used by the wealthy to avoid the unsavoury middens beneath their feet, and lots of information about the Old Town.

This was a fascinating and well-delivered tour; William clearly knows his stuff, and excelled at making history interesting for everyone, including the children in the group – one of whom he roped in to demonstrate the sorry lot of the 18th century sweep’s boy (whose average life expectancy was less than two years from his first ascent of a dusty chimney) – and though he certainly didn’t send little Aisling up the flue, she clearly enjoyed her moment in the limelight!

For more information about this and other daily tours run by Mercat, see their website or call into their office at 28 Blair Street.

What’s On is truly international this week, with Poland, Italy, Spain, Afghanistan, Palestine, Denmark, China, France, the USA, Canada, Japan and the entire African continent all being involved in events in Scotland’s capital. Closer to home, the Scottish International Storytelling Festival can take you from the Old Town to the Borders, the Highlands, the Western Isles – and to its sister festival in the far north, ‘edged by glorious fishing and surfing beaches.’ And of course that’s not all – there’s plenty going on all over the city, so read on!

MONDAY 27TH OCTOBER 2014

Golden Hare October Book Group: The Village Against The World by Dan Hancox. Author and Guardian journalist Dan’s ‘vivid and even-handed book’ is a fascinating and highly entertaining true account of life in the unique Spanish village of Marinaleda, a small village that has bucked the trend of the Spanish economic crash with 100% employment through the years of austerity and depression. Marinaleda’s secret is a kind of old-fashioned socialism underpinned by values of collectivism and solidarity that many thought had vanished at the end of the Cold War – but does it offer a viable alternative to global capitalism in the 21st century? Come along for what promises to be a lively discussion. 6.30pm, Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge.

Tea Dance at the Portrait Gallery: a spirited tea dance with a wartime theme, inspired by the exhibition Remembering the Great War. Sing and dance along with hosts the Flyright Dance Company and enjoy live music provided by That Swing Sensation. Suitable for community groups including care homes and those affected by dementia. 2-4pm, Great Hall, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free but please call the Information Desk on 0131 624 6560 to book your place. Part of Luminate: Scotland’s Creative Ageing Festival.

Gilmerton Library Writers’ Group: a brand new group to which everyone is invited, whether you like experimenting with fiction, poetry or plays. 6.30pm, Gilmerton Library, 13 Newtoft Street. For more information call 0131 529 5652.

Having Put Herself in the Picture: Tracing a Line Through Kate Davis’ Recent Work. Art historian Dr Dominic Paterson introduces a number of Kate Davis’ works, spanning the period between the series Who is a Woman Now? (2008) and video installation Denkmal (2013). The talk will particularly address Davis’ use of the medium of drawing, often in combination with objects or films, to articulate feminist visual politics and aesthetics. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery. Free and unticketed.

LGBT Workshop – What is Art Therapy? Meet with art therapists to learn what this therapy actually involves and to find out about individual and group options available at Howe Street. 6.30-7.30pm (within weekly drop-in session, which runs 5.30-8pm), LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street.

Stories and Songs of Sir Walter Scott: Borders storyteller Mary Kenny introduces the songs and stories of Scott in the anniversary year of his first novel, Waverley. A session for adults. 2-3pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014. Also available at same time on Wednesday 29th October.

Tiger Tales: a new parent and child craft and story session for 4-8 year olds after school. Each session will consist of a story and a related craft or activity. 3.30-4.15pm today and every last Monday in the month, South Neighbourhood Office and Library, 40 Captain’s Road. The library has more information and a display of the books.

Edible Gardening Seasonal Advice: drop in to find out how to grow your own food, and take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project Team. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required. Also available at same times on Tuesday 28th October.

Scotland’s Traditional Tales with Lari Don: Lari Don introduces a super new series of illustrated tales, and shares her version of Tam of the Linn and other fantastic Scottish stories. For ages 4-7. 2.30-3.30pm, Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but please book via eventbrite. Part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Studying Elsewhere – Stories of Learning Abroad. University of Edinburgh exchange students share the stories they gathered while living and learning abroad.  Is narrative the clue to understanding another culture and being ‘found in translation’? 4-5.30pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile. Free tickets can be booked via the Storytelling Centre Box Office, online, by phone or in person. Part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

The Great War At Sea: a presentation by Andrew Grant and David Seaton looking at the broad areas of conflict and war at sea, and focusing on ships from Leith and Newhaven and the individuals who served in them. 6.30-7.30pm, Leith Library, 28-30 Ferry Road. Please call the library on 0131 529 5517 or email leith.library@edinburgh.gov.uk to book your place.

Tour of the National Library: a guided tour of the NLS building and and an introduction to the collections and history. 2-2.45pm,  National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is essential as numbers are limited: book via the NLS website or by calling 0131 623 3734. Please inform the Library of any special access requirements.

City Lights: an exhibition of photography created by Alex and Gabiela Ingle to celebrate the renewed city partnership between Krakow and Edinburgh. This unique collection of images is a tribute to the cities’ similarities and shared beauty. Continues during usual opening hours until 31st October 2014, McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Part of the Scottish Polish Cultural Association City Lights Project.

Creature Features! 1950s classic horror double bill with The Fly and Invaders from Mars. With 1950s-themed film fancy dress competition and more. 6.45-10.45pm, Drumbrae Library Hub, 81 Drumbrae Drive. To book your place call the library on 0131 529 5244 or email drumbrae.library@edinburgh.gov.uk

Film Night: War Horse (2011). In the deadly chaos of the First World War, one horse witnesses the reality of battle from both sides of the trenches. Cert. 12. 6.30-8.30pm, St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace. Free. (Shown as part of Gorgie War Memorial Hall’s World War One Commemoration Events.)

The Edinburgh Philosophy and Psychology Group October Meeting: Women’s Work! Many career areas seem to have significant gender imbalances – what causes them? Are there women’s or men’s jobs? The group’s discussions are non-academic, with members coming from a range of ages, backgrounds and nationalities. Non-members are welcome, and meetings are free, with free sandwiches! Attendance is usually around 20 people. 8-9.30pm, The Links Hotel and Bar, 4 Alvanley Terrace. Please RSVP if you plan to go along.

Polish Bookbug: storytelling for young children. 10.30am, McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Part of From Poland With Love: Scottish-Polish Cultural Week.

TUESDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2014

Africa in Motion : Music Documentary Afternoon. Heavy metal and electronica in Africa? Yes! Africa is changing fast. Electro Chaabi (cert.15) offers an insight into the mindset of today’s restless Egyptian youth, focusing on this new underground craze, a dance form ‘combining punk spirit with a hip-hop attitude, set against a furious cascade of drum, bass and electronic vocals.’ Meanwhile March  of the Gods: Botswana Metalheads (cert.15) explores the life of the Heavy Metal Brotherhood in Botswana and the struggle of a band called Wurst, who end up on stage at SoloMacello in Milan. 1.30pm (Electro Chaabi) and 3pm (March of the Gods), Lecture Room 017, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Free. Both films are subtitled. See The Edinburgh Reporter’s article about the Africa in Motion Festival here.

Leith School of Art Open Days: come and find out more about the range of courses on offer at the School, from part-time day and evening classes to weekend workshops, the full-time one year Foundation and Graduate Studies courses and the six-week Summer School. 10am-3pm, Leith School of Art, 25 North Junction Street (St James Campus on Leith Links also open). All welcome, no need to book – but if you are bringing a group please let the School know your planned time of arrival. If you would like a portfolio review, please call the school in advance. Also open at same times on Wednesday 29th October.

Organisation for Promoting Afghan Women’s Capabilities (OPAWC): Latifa Ahmadi, director of OPAWC, will talk about current issues and what OPAWC does. OPAWC was founded in 2003 by a group of women eager to do something proactive, concrete and achievable to empower Afghan women, focusing on literacy, practical wage-earning skills and health. More information here.  7-9pm, St John’s Church Hall, Princes Street.

A Royal Passion: Queen Victoria and Photography. Anne Lyden, International Photography Curator at NGS, explores Queen Victoria’s role in shaping the history of photography – and photography’s role in shaping the image of the Queen. 12.45-1.30pm, Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery. Free and unticketed.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents MJ Carey: The Girl With All The Gifts. ‘Every morning Mary waits in her cell to be collected for class. When they come for her, Sergeant Parks keeps his gun trained on her whilst two of his people strap her into her wheelchair. She thinks they don’t like her. She jokes that she won’t bite. But they don’t laugh. Mary is a very special girl.’ MR Carey is the pen name of an established writer of prose fiction and comic books. ‘A must for fans of the sci-fi/fantasy genre’. 6.30-7.45pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from Blackwell’s front desk or by calling 0131 622 8218.

Lunchtime Concert: Oliver Webber (violin), Christopher Suckling (cello) and Jan Waterfield (harpsichord) play Corelli Sonata Op.5 No.7 in D Minor, JS Bach excerpts from The Art of Fugue, Domenico Gabrielli Sonata in G, Merulo Toccata Quinta from Primo Libro (1598), Rognoni Divisions on lo son ferito and Geminiani A Selection of Scottish Airs. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free.

Commonwealth Stories of World War One: Scottish-Canadian storyteller Phyllis Davison evokes the many experiences and connections of ‘the war to end war.’ 2-3pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014. Also available at same time on Thursday 30th October.

Edible Gardening Seasonal Advice: drop in to find out how to grow your own food, and take a look around the productive garden with the Edible Gardening Project Team. 1-3pm, Demonstration Garden, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free: no booking required.

Ma La Divisa Di Un Altro Colore: author Pietro Neglie in conversation with Professor Philip Cooke (University of Strathclyde) for World Italian Language Week. In 1915 a religious peasant from Friuli and an electrician from Rome are both called to the front. After the war their paths diverge, one joining the fascist party, the other becoming a trade unionist, socialist and partisan. Many years later history brings them back together. The event will be chaired by Dr Davide Messina (University of Edinburgh) and will be in English and Italian with simultaneous translation provided. 6pm, Italian Cultural Institute, 82 Nicolson Street.

Alan Bruford Memorial Lecture: Lost Horizon or Living Landscape? Place, Time and People in Gaelic Tradition. For most visitors, and many Scots, the Highlands of Scotland – the Gaidhealtachd – suggst a region of misty mountains, the odd ruined castle perched by a loch and the perfect holiday spot for the romantic imagination. Dr Virginia Blankenhorn presents songs and stories from the Scottish Studies Archives to illustrate the relationship of ordinary Gaels with the lands they inhabited – the people and events that shaped them and the memories of those taken abroad and forced to emigrate from home. 6.30-7.20pm, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile. Free tickets can be booked via the Storytelling Centre Box Office, online, by phone or in person. Organised by the Department of Celtic and Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, as part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Geographies of the Prime Meridian: the prime meridian – 0 degrees longitude – is where the world begins in space and time. From 1884 it has been at Greenwich in the UK. In this illustrated talk Charles Withers, Ogilvie Chair of Geography at the University of Edinburgh and co-author of the award-winning Scotland: Mapping the Nation, will examine the many different prime meridians in use before and after 1884, and explore the complex geographies and politics of this seemingly simple world-defining feature. 6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required via the NLS website or by calling 0131 623 3734.

The Scots in Poland: a Forgotten Diaspora. An illustrated talk by writer and broadcaster Billy Kay, author of The Scottish World. Drawing on a lifetime of exploring, writing and broadcasting about Scots, their culture and journeys across the globe, Billy Kay reflects on the history of the Scots in Poland. He will celebrate the historic cultural connections that developed between  Poland and Scotland, and illustrate the talk with clips from his Radio Scotland series Merchants, Pedlars, Mercenaries and Societies with Secrets. He will also compare and contrast the present day Polish migration to Scotland with the heyday of the Scottish Brotherhoods which existed in twelve Polish cities in the 17th century. How many of the Poles living in Scotland today are in fact Scots returning to their original homeland? 6-8pm,  McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite. Part of From Poland With Love: Scottish-Polish Cultural Week.

To Absent Friends – Scrapbooking Workshop. To Absent Friends is a festival of storytelling and remembrance, held for the first time 1st-7th November 2014. At this event you can remember, celebrate, tell stories and reminisce about people you love who have died, by scrapbooking a favourite photo of a loved one. Bring a photo 6″ x 4″ or smaller; all other materials will be supplied, but if you have any small pieces of memorabilia or something special you would like to include, please feel free to bring these along. 2-4pm, George Washington Browne Room,  Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free but please book via eventbrite.

St Mary’s RC Cathedral Tuesday Concerts: Jeremy Filsell (piano), Rebecca Kellerman Petratta (lyric soprano) and Simon Nieminski (cathedral organist) play Rachmaninov’s First Piano Concerto and French music for piano, organ and voice. 7.30pm, St Mary’s RC Cathedral. Free: retiring collection.

WEDNESDAY 29TH OCTOBER 2014

Golden Hare Books presents An Evening with Allan Massie. An eminent Scottish author and journalist, Allan has written over thirty books; his latest, Klaus, is the story of Thomas Mann’s son, a bold political activist who strove beyond his father’s shadow to become an important author. Klaus was an exile forced abroad whilst the Nazis defiled his homeland, a homosexual in a time of bigotry and intolerance, a heroin addict slithering between recovery and relapse – but above all he was a writer. Klaus explores one writer’s struggle for identity and recognition in a time of historic and personal crisis. 6.30-9pm,  Golden Hare Books, 68 St Stephen Street, Stockbridge. Free tickets may be booked via eventbrite.

KinoKlub presents The Hourglass Sanatorium: a screening of Wojciech’s Has’s bizarre and extraordinary film. The story follows Joseph, who visits his dying father in a dreamlike sanatorium and becomes lost in a series of his own memories and fantasies. The Hourglass Sanatorium is a loose adaptation of a novel by the Jewish Polish painter and writer Bruno Schulz. KinoKlub is Edinburgh’s world surrealist cinema collective, formed by Morvern Cunningham and Malgorzata Bugaj, committed to showcasing some of the best in surreal and experimental film from all eras and across the globe on a regular basis. 5.30-7.30pm, McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Free tickets can be booked via eventbrite. Part of From Poland With Love: Scottish-Polish Cultural Week.

Stories and Songs of Sir Walter Scott: Borders storyteller Mary Kenny introduces the songs and stories of Scott in the anniversary year of his first novel, Waverley. A session for adults. 2-3pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Leith School of Art Open Days: come and find out more about the range of courses on offer at the School, from part-time day and evening classes to weekend workshops, the full-time one year Foundation and Graduate Studies courses and the six-week Summer School. 10am-3pm, Leith School of Art, 25 North Junction Street (St James Campus on Leith Links also open). All welcome, no need to book but if you are bringing a group please let the School know your planned time of arrival. If you would like a portfolio review, please call the school in advance.

Level Up: Reading XP. Read, gain XP, level up! Get the gamer experience – great books, games and excellent activities. For ages 10-14. 4-5pm today and every Wednesday, Ratho Library, School Wynd.

Morningside Justice and Peace Group: Jim Moffat, Secretary of Edinburgh South Amnesty International Group, discusses Amnesty International – an Ongoing Movement. 10.30-11.30am, The Open Door, 420 Morningside Road. All welcome; for more information contact b.darcy20@gmail.com. A contribution of £1 is requested at each meeting to cover costs.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents J David Simons’ The Land Agent: in 1920s Palestine Polish-Jewish immigrant Lev Sela is working as a land agent for one of the richest men in the world when he stumbles upon a strategic area of land that does not exist on any map. The resultant struggle for ownership involves the Jews, Arabs, Zionists, British, an ambitious Russian engineer and the local Bedouin, and draws Lev into a relationship with beautiful pioneer Celia Kahn. J David Simons is Scotland’s pre-eminent Jewish novelist. 6.30-7.45pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from Blackwell’s front desk or by calling 0131 622 8218.

Newington Library Knitting Group: 6.45-7.45pm tonight and every Wednesday, Newington Library, 17-21 Fountainhall Road.

Play Poland Film Festival: Short Waves. Play Poland is the largest mobile film festival in the UK, aiming at presenting and promoting Polish contemporary cinema. Tonight’s short films are Franek, Moko, Arena, Edward, Shame, Survey About Women, and The See. For ages 15+. 6.30-8.30pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £4.50/£3.50 and are bookable via the Summerhall website.

Edinburgh Napier University UK and EU Postgraduate Webchat: if you are from the EU or UK and have any questions about studying at Napier (whether about the courses on offer, the University, or the city itself) at postgraduate level, this is an opportunity to chat to staff and other potential students online. Register here if you would like to participate. If you are based outside the EU, see the Napier website for details of visits by university staff to various countries. For more information contact Ruth Swann at studentrecruitment@napier.ac.uk or for EU enquiries, Anna Frankowska at studyabroad@napier.ac.uk.

Edinburgh Napier University UK Undergraduate Webchat: if you are from the UK and have any questions about studying at Napier (whether about the courses on offer, the UCAS procedure, or the city itself) at undergraduate level, this is an opportunity to chat to staff and other potential students online. Register here if you would like to participate. For more information contact studentrecruitment@napier.ac.uk.

Africa in Motion: Short Film Night. A hand-picked selection of African short films, each one from a different country; a night of relaxed banter in the cosy atmosphere of Woodland Creatures. Tonight’s films are L’autre Femme (Senegal), Thongo (S Africa), Picture Perfect Heist (S Africa) and Beleh (Cameroon). 7pm, Woodland Creatures, 260 Leith Walk. Free entry. See The Edinburgh Reporter’s article about the Africa in Motion Festival here.

THURSDAY 30TH OCTOBER 2014

Magazine Showcase: Far Off Places. Far Off Places, the magazine of written whimsy, was launched in November 2013. Since then five issues have been released, apps developed and podcasts recorded. Dressed in Halloween costumes for the occasion, editors Annie Rutherford, Ceris Aston and Bethany Wolfe will talk about their experiences of creating a literary magazine. Contributors will also be there to haunt the audience with their words. Fancy dress encouraged. 6.30pm, Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate. Tickets are £5/£4 and can be booked via eventbrite.

Wordplay: The Installation as Empty Set. Wordplay: ‘a creative generator for participants to encourage fresh perspectives on writing in and around contemporary art’ – gallery-based writing sessions inspired by GENERATION. ‘The artist who makes an installation prepares a stage for the audience to wander and onto which to project its own meaning. This session will look at the installation as empty stage and as instructions for a drama to take place within’. 5.30-6.45pm, Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound. Free: to book a place call 0131 624 6410 or email education@nationalgalleries.org. For more information click here. Part of GENERATION By Night.

Alina Bzhezhinska: acclaimed harpist Bzhezhinska will be joined by a special guest for a programme on the theme of love; Bach, Debussy and traditional songs. 6-6.30pm, Scottish National Gallery. Free and unticketed.

Through Border Eyes – John Buchan’s Guide to Walter Scott. Why is Scott the great unread? Let John Buchan be your guide to the delights and perils of the ‘Wizard of the North’. In the 200th anniversary year of Waverley, Donald Smith invites you to look again at Scott through Buchan’s eyes. 2-3pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free tickets may be booked via the NLS website or by calling 0131 623 3734. Part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Scott’s Singing Muse: Minstrelsy of the Scottish Borders. All of Sir Walter Scott’s later achievements are foreshadowed by his first major work – a monumental collection of Borders songs and legends.  Re-published this year, for the first time with the music and full background, the Minstrelsy is a kist of treasures and curiosities. General editor Sigrid Rieuwerts unveils this groundbreaking publication. 3.30-4.30pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free tickets may be booked via the NLS website or by calling 0131 623 3734. Part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Commonwealth Stories of World War One: Scottish-Canadian storyteller Phyllis Davison evokes the many experiences and connections of ‘the war to end war.’ 2-3pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Portskerra International Storytelling Festival.  Want to get out of the city this weekend? Portskerra is between Thurso and Tongue, and this is the most northerly storytelling festival on mainland Scotland. This year the festival focuses on place and intergenerational community, featuring storytellers from home and abroad, a traditional ceilidh called by Clapshot, and a Hallows Eve Silent Movie Night. ‘An intimate festival, edged by glorious fishing and surfing beaches.’ Today until Sunday 2nd November. For more information see www.portskerrastorytellingfestival.weebly.com. In conjunction with Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014

The Importance of Being: an evening with John Cairney. John Cairney will take you on a spiritual journey that is part autobiography and part a study and consideration of theology. He explores four stages of life: birth, infancy, maturity and old age/death – and the traumas we face in each, emphasising the importance of recognising the gift we have simply in living and how crucial it is to appreciate each moment of our lives.  6pm, National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge. Free but booking is required via the NLS website or by calling 0131 623 3734.

Gaelic Songs and Rhymes. For children and babies. 10.30am, Blackhall Library, 56 Hillhouse Road.

Chrystal Macmillan Lecture 2014 – Ladies in the Lords: Women’s Representation. In 1958 the Life Peeerages Act enabled women (without an hereditary title) to sit in the Lords for the first time. Today there are 189 women in the House. The Lord Speaker Baroness D’Souza will discuss with Baroness Goldie, Life Peer, the role of women in the House of Lords past and present, and the impact those Members have on political life. Chaired by Professor Fiona Mackay, School of Social and Political Science. 5.30-7.15pm, followed by a drinks reception and an exhibition about Chrystal Macmillan until 8pm,  Meadows Lecture Theatre, William Robertson Wing, Doorway 4, Medical School (Old Medical School), University of Edinburgh. Free tickets should be booked via eventbrite, which also has directions to the venue.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Leith Through Time: an informal drinks reception launching this new book by Jack Gillon and Fraser Parkinson. Leith Through Time features a fascinating selection of photographs tracing some of the many ways in which Leith and its surroundings have changed and developed over the last century. Meet the authors, enjoy a glass of wine and peruse some wonderful stills and film of Leith. 6.30pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. For more information contact Roanna Brannigan on 0131 622 8220 or email stationery.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk

Found Drawings by Jesper Christiansen: one of the most recognised modern artists in Denmark, Christiansen (1955-) was a professor at the Royal Danish Academy for Fine Arts 2002-2008. Most of the works in this show formed part of his critically acclaimed exhibition GO BACK at the museums Brandst and Holstebro Kuntsmuseum in Denmark, and Christiansen also designed the poster for this new show.  Opening and artist’s talk at 6pm today (booking essential: RSVP to event1@dancult.co.uk), then 10am-4pm, Monday to Thursday until 2nd December 2014, Danish Cultural Institute, Doune Terrace.

Learning Chinese in Diasporic Communities: book launch and lecture. Marking the publication of John Benjamins‘ book, co-editor Xiao Lan Curdt-Christiansen will talk on Learning Chinese in Diasporic Communities: Does it Matter? 6-7pm, Moray House School of Education, Room G43, Paterson’s Land, Holyrood Road. Free places may be reserved by emailing jo.law@ed.ac.uk. Organised jointly by the Confucius Institute for Scotland and CERES, the Centre for Education for Racial Equality in Scotland.

Ecumenical Friends of St Cuthbert’s: Forum – What Do We Stand For? United Together In Our Differences.  All warmly welcome: bring your own packed lunch, tea and coffee provided. 12.30pm, St Cuthbert’s Parish Church Hall, Lothian Road, £1.50 per person. Organised by Edinburgh City Centre Churches TOGETHER.

Thursday Club: a weekly programme of music, talks and demonstrations. Open to all, new members and visitors very welcome. This week: Dorie Wilkie talks on The Great Tapestry of Scotland. For more information contact Florence Smith on 0131 663 1234. 2pm, Mayfield Salisbury Church Hall, 18 West Mayfield, EH9 1TQ.

Dugs ‘n’ Pubs Halloween Party: prizes for the best dressed dug, special Halloween cupcakes and dug beer! 7pm, Cafe Tartine, 72 Commercial Street, Leith.

FRIDAY 31ST OCTOBER 2014

March of the Daschund: children’s craft event. 3pm, McDonald Road Library, 2-4 McDonald Road. Free: no booking required. Part of From Poland With Love: Scottish-Polish Cultural Week.

Haunted Tales of Old Edinburgh: Royal Mile storyteller Calum Lykan captures some gruesome and spooky moments from Auld Reekie past and present. 2-3pm, Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

You CAN DO it! Free event launching a new project in Edinburgh, CAN DO. CAN DO delivers bespoke volunteering opportunities to young disabled people aged 16-35 – come along and find out what is on offer. All welcome: refreshments and entertainment provided. 1pm, St John’s Church, Princes Street. For more information contact kate.mamboininga@leonardcheshire.org.

ECA:Live: visit Edinburgh College of Art whilst its Art, Design and Landscape Architecture students are at work in their studios – see the College’s dynamic creative environment on a normal working day. A full programme of talks and tours will run from 10.30am to 2pm, covering everything from animation to jewellery, graphic design to textiles. These are expected to be busy, and if necessary priority will be given to prospective students. 10am-3pm, Edinburgh College of Art, Lauriston Place. Booking is essential and can be made via eventbrite. Enquiries about group bookings should be directed to the ECA Student Support Officers at eca-sso@ed.ac.uk.

It’s Our Street! Big Draw All Day Art Event: come to the library and be part of creating a Big Draw collaborative art work celebrating your city. Take inspiration from the library’s 44 feet long scroll painted by the Japanese artist Furuyama Moromasa, which presents an extended street scene in Tokyo around 1700, to create a new street scene inspired by the local environment in Edinburgh.  Work together in a group, using recycled materials from magazines and drawing with scissors by cutting out shapes and images to make a street scene glued on to an extended roll of paper. Suitable for all ages. 11am-4.30pm (drop-in session), George Washington Browne Room,  Central Library, George IV Bridge. Free, no ticket required, but numbers will be limited to no more than 50 at any one time.

Spooky Halloween Walk: join the Rangers on an evening walk looking for ghosts and ghouls. Wrap up warmly and bring a torch. Suitable for families. 6.30-7.30pm, Sutherland Building/Visitor Centre, Beecraigs Country Park, near Linlithgow, EH49 6PL. Prior booking essential: tickets cost £3.43/£2.36 and can be booked by calling Beecraigs on 01506 844516 between 10am and 4pm or emailing mail@beecraigs.com.

Serenity Cafe Club Nights: Little Ruby. Serenity is run by people in recovery for people in recovery: Club Nights are drink and drugs-free and family-friendly. 7pm till late, Serenity Cafe, 8 Jackson’s Entry, off Royal Mile or Holyrood Road. All welcome: £6 waged, £4 unwaged.

Margaret’s Wardrobe: curatorial assistant and researcher Dr Chris Lee tells the lively personal story of one ‘ordinary’ woman, Margaret and her amazing high-end fashion collection. From the 1970s onwards Margaret bought herself a subscription to Vogue and accumulated a wardrobe of high-end High Street fashions from a Glasgow department store. By 2008 Margaret had been many things: nurse, air hostess, wife and mother, as well as a considerable shopper, but she had also begun to forget things and one day after shopping in Paisley she couldn’t remember how to get home. Dr Lee tells Margaret’s story through the fashions of each decade and as a moving case study of those living with dementia. There will be an opportunity to enjoy NMS’s Jean Muir handling collection. 2-3.30pm, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free tickets are available from the Museum’s reception or online. Part of Luminate: Scotland’s Creative Ageing Festival.

Gore By The Shore: a night of tricks and treats at ‘the freakiest party in town’: Halloween punch, buffet, best costume competition, live DJ. 10pm-2am, The Granary, 32 The Shore, Leith.  Call in to get your wristband.

Recitals for Wrigglers – Halloween Special: a themed interactive classical music experience for under-3s! 10.30-11.30am, Drumbrae Library Hub, 81 Drumbrae Drive.

Blackwell’s Edinburgh invites you to come and meet Julia Donaldson, one of the nation’s best loved children’s authors (The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom, The Scarecrow’s Wedding). Julia will be signing copies of her latest book The Further Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat, and is happy to sign one of her books brought from home in addition to anything you purchase in the store. 2-4pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Note: this is a signing, no tickets are required.

Halloween Party: come and join in the fun – make your own witches’ brew, masks and lanterns. For under-12s. 2.30-3.30pm, Gilmerton Library, 13 Newtoft Street.

Lunchtime Concert: Emma Lloyd (violin) and Karin Schistek (piano) play Beethoven Sonata for Piano and Violin in C minor Op 30/2 and Debussy Sonata for Violin and Piano in G Minor L.140. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, University of Edinburgh, Bristo Square. Free.

Halloween Lanterns: for ages 4+. 2.30-3.30pm, Stockbridge Library, Hamilton Place.

Africa in Motion: Beti and Amare. Celebrate Halloween African style with this unique, strangely engaging and genre-blurring film, a mixture of sci-fi, fantasy and historical romance. Set in a 1936 Ethiopia disrupted by World War One, it follows the story of a young Ethiopian girl fleeing Mussolini’s troops. ‘Stunning use of landscape and powerful imagery (create) an intensely visual experience.’ For ages 15+. 7-8.30pm, Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Tickets cost £5 and can be booked via Summerhall’s website. See The Edinburgh Reporter’s article about the Africa in Motion Festival here.

Food Co-Op: buy cheap, quality food from Green City. Green City Wholefoods Workers’ Collective aims to create a non-exploitative workplace which takes into consideration the interests of the workers, the community and the environment as a whole. 3-6pm, Upstairs, Forest Cafe, Lauriston Place.

Superheroes and Villains: Joseph Pearce’s Halloween Party. Dress up as your favourite villain or superhero ‘for one night villains and superheroes find peace – and party.’ From 6pm, Joseph Pearce’s Bar, 23 Elm Row.

Birds of Paradise Theatre: Crazy Jane.  Jane Avril, dancer at the Moulin Rouge, cordially invites you to the Saltpetriere Asylum to join her, Professor Charcot and his junior staff Drs Freud, Tourette, Jung and Alzheimer in the waltz of modern psychiatry commonly known as The Fools Dance. The whole range of the Human Zoo will be present as Jane recounts her story and that of her good friend Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Birds in Paradise Theatre present a work-in-progress viewing of their new show Crazy Jane by Nicola McCartney with choreography by Janice Parker and music by Hector Bizerk. Suitable for ages 14+. 4pm or 4.45pm or 5.30pm (each show lasts 25 mins), Summerhall, 1 Summerhall. Free tickets can be booked via Summerhall’s website.

Africa in Motion: Eric Kabera Masterclass. A talented Rwandan filmmaker and pioneer of the country’s film industry, Eric Kabera founded the Rwandan Cinema Centre and the film production company Link Media Productions, which produced the first feature-length film on the Rwandan genocide, 100 Days. Eric has made a number of documentary films to high acclaim; his directorial debut Keepers of Memory, an unforgettable documentary released ten years after the genocide, is screening today at 8pm; he also co-produced the critically acclaimed film Africa United. His latest documentary Intore will be released in early 2015. In this masterclass Eric will show clips from his films and talk about his filmmaking practice. 3-5.30pm, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Free entry. Eric Kabera’s visit has been generously supported by the University of Stirling.

SATURDAY 1ST NOVEMBER 2014

Save the Elephants Halloween Party: two bands, nibbles, mini-auction, raffle. All funds will go to Kuki Gallmann Conservancy in Kenya, which works with wildlife conservation, especially elephants. Come in your scariest fancy dress!  7pm-midnight, Function Rooms, Dalriada Bar, 77 Promenade, Portobello. Entry by £5 cash donation on the door (Dalriada bar open as usual with no entry charge.)

Thinking Out Loud: a young people’s gathering. Get involved, meet new people, talk about the things that are important to you, vote to decide the most important issues – whether they are equality, justice, the voting age, jobs, sex education, or something else – and enjoy music, face painting, selfies, lunch and smoothies. 12 noon-4pm, Waverley Gate, 2-4 Waterloo Place.  Booking essential: call 0131 469 3354, email Mary.mitchell@edinburgh.gov.uk or speak to your local CLD worker. Organised by the Edinburgh Youth Participation Mentors Team.

Nature’s Beloved Son: Rediscovering John Muir’s Botanical Legacy. A major new exhibition celebrating the life of Scottish-American naturalist and author John Muir who, one hundred years after his death, is still celebrated for his understanding of the need to preserve wilderness. The exhibition traces his travels to Canada, Indiana, the American South-East, California and Alaska, and presents vivid images of the actual plants that Muir held in his hands, carried in his backpack, and preserved for all time. 10am-3.45pm, John Hope Gateway, Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row. Free. Closes 25th January 2015.

Polish Bookbug: songs, stories and rhymes for babies, toddlers, pre-school children and their families. 11am, Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace.

The Leith Gallery: Drummond and Durning – a new exhibition. 11am-4pm today then at same times Tuesday to Saturday until 29th November 2014, The Leith Gallery, 65 The Shore.

GENERATION Tours at Modern One: free, discussion-led tours of the exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE, Belford Road. Free and unticketed.

Family Cinema – see your favourite films for free! Adventure, excitement, fun and laughs. Juice and choc ices available in the interval for 50p each. Best for children under 10: all children must be accompanied by an adult. Subtitles are available, please ask. This week: The Croods (2013), next week: Meet the Robinsons (2007). 10.30am-12.30pm,  St Brides Centre, Orwell Terrace. Free.

The Edinburgh Poetry Tour. The Scottish Poetry Library has begun an annual tradition of bringing poets from around the world to stay for a two week residency; the first poet-in-residence will be Polish poet Maciej Wozniak – join the SPL as they show Maciej around Edinburgh, paying a visit to various places of poetic interest. 2pm, Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate, and other locations. Free: book via eventbrite.

St Cuthbert’s Parish Church Coffee Morning: 10.30am-12 noon, St Cuthbert’s Church Hall, Lothian Road.

Portrait Gallery Thematic Tours – Hidden Gems: the Discovery of Medals, Miniatures and Medallions. Monthly thematic tours of the Portrait Gallery’s collection. This month Susanna Kerr, former Senior Curator, explores a varied selection of these tiny, often overlooked, treasures. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

Out of The Blue Flea Market: rummage for treasures at this monthly market – over 45 stalls full to bursting with clothes, jewellery, small furniture, music, books, bric-a-brac and so much more. Coffee and delicious cake available to buy from the Drill Hall Cafe. 10am-3pm, Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 36 Dalmeny Street.

The Edinburgh Gallery November Exhibition: Sheila Macmillan PAI and Connie Simmers. Opening 11am-1pm today then 11am-5pm Monday to Friday, 10am-1pm Saturdays, Edinburgh Gallery, 20a Dundas Street. Closes 29th November 2014.

Mickey’s Magic Pencil: storytelling and colouring fun with children’s author Vivian French. Suitable for children aged 4-8 years. 2pm, Christ Church Centre, 6a Morningside Road. Please contact The Edinburgh Bookshop on 0131 447 1917/mail@edinburghbookshop.com to reserve your free tickets.

The Edge of Winter: a new exhibition featuring work by Malcolm Dobbins, Michael Dawson, Christine Clark and others . Opening today 10am-5pm (with drinks and nibbles), then Sundays 12 noon-5pm, Thursdays to Saturdays 10am-5pm, Velvet Easel Gallery, 298 Portobello High Street. Ends 1st February 2015

Beginner’s Guide to Reading and Talking About Poetry: all you need to (re)start your enthusiasm for poetry and feel great sharing it with others – ‘a crash course poetry-spotter’s guide.’ Coffee, croissants and ‘no question deemed too daft.’ 10.30am-12.30pm, Scottish Poetry Library, 5 Crichton’s Close, Canongate. Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be booked via eventbrite.

Open Eye Gallery: two new exhibitions – Ben Risk’s Field Work and Thomas Wilson’s Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread: Recent Drawings. The gallery is also showing jewellery by Sarah Straussberg and ceramics by Anna Noel. Preview today 12 noon-2pm, then 10am-6pm Monday to Friday, 10am-4pm Saturdays, Open Eye Gallery, 34 Abercromby Place. Ends 25th November 2014

Death and Fish: Ian Stephen’s new novel is an exploration of storytelling and a lyrical exposition of living by and on the sea. Following the book launch with Saraband Publishing, Ian will weave material from Death and Fish with his new collection of traditional stories from the Western Isles. 5.30-6.20pm,  Scottish Storytelling Centre, Royal Mile. Free: part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

The Peerie Monster and the Christmas Sneak Thief: Edinburgh author Nyssa Pinkerton (The Peerie Monster and the Colour Crocodile) will read from her new book and sign copies. The Peerie Monster is a ‘hairy, grubby wee dog’ (based on Nyssa’s own dog) who, through a little bit of magic, courtesy of her different coloured eyes, saves the world. 10.30-11.30am, Waterstones, 83 George Street. More information on 0131 225 3436.

The Big LGBT Music Jam: a creative and supportive space for making music. Play, sing your own song, or just be an appreciative listener; all music tastes welcome. Bring your own instruments, some percussion supplied. 1-4pm, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, Howe Street. No booking required, just turn up: group contact: biglgbtmusicjamedinburgh@gmail.com

Doubtfire Gallery: City and The Sea. A new show from Edinburgh-based art teacher Chris Nugent, who has been exhibiting throughout Europe since graduating in 1986. ‘He has developed a fluid approach to the interaction of light and colour on the elements of land, sea and sky.’ 12 noon-5pm today, then 10am-5pm Monday to Friday, 12 noon-5pm Saturdays, Doubtfire Gallery, 3 South East Circus Place.

Dugs ‘n’ Pubs: bring your dug for a pint and meet other four-legged furries. A great opportunity to socialise your dog and meet other lovely Leith pups and owners. 12 noon, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street.

Gallery Talk – Ruth Pelzer: Pictures of the Floating World? Japanese Print Then, Now and In Between. Ruth (Edinburgh College of Art) will examine Japanese printmaking since the early 20th century, drawing on her recent participation in the Second International Mokuhanga (Japanese Wood Block) Conference at Tokyo Geidai University. She will explore the implications of the Japanese print tradition for recent Japanese artists and question how contemporary artists relate to, reject, ignore and adapt this tradition. 2-3pm, Edinburgh Printmakers, Union Street. Free but booking should be made via eventbrite or calling 0131 557 2479.

Numbers Are Futile: Decagram 1.9.9.  Decagram is a series of extended Saturday nights featuring Decagram artists and special guests, with short films, visuals, live music and club all in one. This is the last event of 2014 and an afterparty to series 1.0. 10pm-3am, Henry’s Cellar Bar, 16a Morrison Street. Tickets are £4 before 12pm and can be purchased from Brown Paper Tickets. After 12 they are £6.

SUNDAY 2ND NOVEMBER 2014

Canongate: The Glorious Half Mile to Holyrood. Sir Walter Scott was inspired to pen his Chronicles of the Canongate and Charles Dickens got his ideas for Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol here, whilst Edinburgh’s makar Robert Fergusson found his last resting place at the Kirk. All life has gone up and down this street; in former times churches, palaces, taverns and brothels jostled for space, whilst more recently the return of the Scottish Parliament has once again made Canongate a scene of power play and intrigue. A glorious afternoon of Once Upon A Canongate will bring Edinburgh – city of story – to life, with free events, including storytelling sessions, walks and tours, at The Museum of Edinburgh, Canongate Kirk, the People’s Story Museum and Acheson House. 1-4pm, Canongate – various venues. Free – booking required for tour of Acheson House only, email info@ewht.org.uk or call 0131 220 7720. For more information see Scottish Storytelling Centre’s website or pick up the special programme from the Centre. Part of Once Upon A Place: Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Sofi’s Open Mic: join host Arno Blok for a night of acoustic/unplugged open mic for songwriters, cover artists, poetry/spoken word or anything else you would like to perform for the audience. 8pm, Sofi’s Bar, 65 Henderson Street.

GENERATION Tours at the Academy Building: free, discussion-led tours of the exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound.Free and unticketed.

Edinburgh School of Music Showcase: ESM director Kira Easson introduces four of her top students (vocal/instrumental). 3-5.30pm, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £3 – cash only.

Art Maker November: join the Art Maker Club and make your own masterpieces with artists Tessa Asquith-Lamb and Louise Fraser. For ages 4-12. 2-4pm (drop-in session), Scottish National Gallery, The Mound. Free and unticketed. Supported by the Friends of the National Galleries of Scotland.

Teatime Acoustic: Hot Tin Roof. Stripped-back atmospheric blues/soul and lots of swing/blues dancing. 6.30-8.30pm, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. Free before 8pm.

St Giles’ At Six: Organ Recital. Paul Stubbings plays Grunenwald Hymne aux memoires heroiques, Franck Grande Piece Symphonique and Jongen Sonata Eroica. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, Royal Mile. Free: retiring collection.

Modern interpretations of love are rarely subtle. Whether that’s the lucid, fantastical erotica of 50 Shades of Grey or the incredible, if wildly explicit lesbian love story Blue is the Warmest Colour; love is struggling to be conveyed without a strong, sexual background. Perhaps it is that that makes The Way He Looks so sensitive. Innocent and yet profoundly mature, it does stunning things to the romance genre.

In suburban São Paulo, a blind teenage boy is desperate for more independence. Every day after school, his best friend walks him to his house, handing him to the key to the gate and saying goodbye. But when someone else takes this position, the boy’s definition of relationships begins to change.

The conventional setting of a high school is counteracted with a riveting protagonist – a boy without sight. He battles through daily life facing hostile bullies and protective parents with a nonchalant saunter, brilliantly admirable and tangible in performance. Newcomer Ghilherme Lobo is responsible for this. His emotive portrayal of a blind teenager is truly great stuff.

This is as much a film about friendship as it is about love. In fact, the entire film builds upon itself, and focuses on the flourishing moments of relationships rather than reaching the stage of conflicts. Thus, it leaves you feeling content and happy; eager to see what happens next.

Daniel Ribeiro has depicted love in a rare light in this deeply beautiful film. Taut, lovely and tender, you simply must see this.

The Way He Looks has a limited release October 24th.

Ten man Hearts came from behind to secure a valuable point, thanks to a 40 yard wonder goal from Turkish defender Alim Ozturk deep into stoppage time in a hard fought Edinburgh derby this afternoon at Easter Road.

Both sides had chances but Hibs looked to have won the contest thanks to a Dominique Malonga effort just before the break; then with the Hibs’ fans ready to celebrate a deserved victory,  Hearts’ never say die attitude saw them produce yet another late goal to deny the home side, extending their lead at the top of the Championship to seven points.

Head Coach Alan Stubbs made one change to the starting line up who hammered Livingston last weekend with Liam Fontaine returning to the team in place of Callum Booth.

Hearts started brightly and Prince Buaben would have opened the scoring but for a last gasp tackle from Paul Hanlon.

At the other end, Scott Allan and Danny Handling combined well but the youngsters strike was well saved by Neil Alexander.

Midway through the first half Hibs almost grabbed the lead when a long ball caught out Danny Wilson and Alexander allowing Jason Cummings to touch it to Malonga but the striker over hit his return pass and the ball rolled wide, much to the relief of the Hearts’ fans behind the goals.

Scott Allan then produced a 30 yard strike which flew inches over the bar before Hearts almost scored against the run of play when a long ball from Callum Paterson was misjudged by Hanlon allowing Soufian El Hassnaoui a clear run on goal but the striker’s shot was well saved by Oxley.

Hibs eventually grabbed a deserved lead just before the break when an Allan corner from the right was met by Liam Fointaine’s powerful header which was blocked by Adam Eckersley, Cummings following up was cleared from the goal line then deflected off Hanlon into the path of Malonga who hammered the ball high into the net.

Incredibly with a quarter of the season gone, this was the first time Hearts had been behind.

Alan Stubbs’ men started the second half where they left off and Allan’s cross was flicked just wide of the post by Malonga.

Allan, who was in top form then produced a sparkling run before being brought down on the edge of the box by Buaben, earning the Hearts’ midfielder a yellow card. Malonga’s free kick rebounded off the Hearts’ wall to Allan but his first time effort went well wide.

Hanlon then did well to block a Buaben effort as the Gorgie men fought to get back into the game.

Robbie Neilson then made two substitutions within the space of three minutes with Jamie Walker replacing El Hassnaoui and Jordan McGhee replacing the injured Danny Wilson.

Hibs had a claim for a penalty rejected then referee Madden stopped the game to warn Stubbs about his protestations.

A few minutes later Oxley was harshly booked for time wasting then with 10 minutes remaining Hearts were reduced to ten men after Paterson was sent off for a bad tackle from behind on Malonga as the Hibs forward broke away.

Hearts continued to attack in search of an equaliser and despite their man advantage, the Hibs players sat back and allowed them to create chances.

Deep into added time Ozturk ran unchallenged into the Hibs half before unleashing a sensational 40 yard strike which crashed off the bar into the net, sparking wild scenes amongst the Gorgie faithful and chants of ‘We are Unbeatable’.

Hibs: Oxley, Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine, Robertson, Stevenson, Handling (Stanton 73’), Allan (Harris 73’), McGeouch, Malonga, Cummings (Kennedy 83’). Substitutes not used: Perntreou, Craig, Heffernan, Booth.

Hearts: Alexander, Paterson, Wilson (McGhee 57’), Oxbturk, Gomis, El Hassnaoui (Walker 54’), Nicholson, King (Buchanan 86’), Bauben, Sow, Eckersely. Substitutes not used: Hamilton, McHattie, Holt, Pallardo.

Referee: Bobby Madden.

Attendance: 14,562

A unique and moving centenary railway tribute to the thousands who gave their lives in World War One was dedicated by East Coast earlier this month.

Today the locomotive arrived in Edinburgh pulling the 12.10 Peterborough to Edinburgh. It has gone back to London King’s Cross and will be used in Leeds tomorrow at a special event there.

The specially-designed East Coast locomotive number 91 111, named ‘For The Fallen’, carries a livery filled with images, stories and tributes to regiments and people who served in them across the East Coast route.

The locomotive entered service on the flagship Newcastle to London and Edinburgh route a couple of weeks ago following a poignant dedication ceremony at Newcastle Central Station, witnessed by civic and military leaders and veterans and serving soldiers.

East Coast enlisted the help of five iconic regiments from key locations along the East Coast Main Line to commemorate the sacrifices made by their forebears, and to tell some of the human stories behind the conflict.

Some of our photos can be seen here but there is a larger collection on our Facebook page.

The insignia of the Tyneside Scottish, an honorary title currently maintained by 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery Royal Artillery of the 101^st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery, was the first of the five to be unveiled on the locomotive.

The rail industry is marking this year’s centenary of the outbreak of World War One in several ways, and East Coast’s ‘For The Fallen’ locomotive will be a visible reminder of the conflict, and those who shaped its outcome, to millions of passengers on one of the nation’s busiest long distance lines. No fewer than 700,000 people worked on Britain’s railways 100 years ago: 20,000 of them died after volunteering to serve in the Great War.

Within eight weeks of war being declared, 750,000 men had volunteered to join Field Marshal Earl Kitchener of Khartoum’s new army, many responding to Alfred Leefe’s famous September 1914 poster bearing Kitchener’s face and the statement ‘Your Country Needs You’.

Four Tyneside Scottish battalions were formed as part of Kitchener’s new army: it is estimated that a total of 2,286 Tyneside Scottish soldiers were killed during the war, the majority at the Somme.

Today, the Tyneside Scottish is an honorary title maintained by the 204 (Tyneside Scottish) Battery of the 101^st (Northumbrian) Regiment Royal Artillery.

The dedication ceremony for Loco 91 111 in Newcastle follows the introduction in 2011 of East Coast’s popular policy of train namings to promote the people and places, communities and heritage on its flagship route.

‘For The Fallen’ joins sister East Coast electric locomotive 91 110 ‘Battle of Britain Memorial Flight’, which features the insignia of the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (RAF BBMF) and its three famous World War Two aircraft – the Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster.

East Coast’s ‘For The Fallen’ locomotive will be at the heart of further events in the coming months as further regimental insignia joins that of the Tyneside Scottish in its unique and thought-provoking livery.

The police have issued an update on the incident which took place on the Royal Mile last night which involved police officers on the ground as well as the police helicopter.

During the evening of Saturday 26 October 2014, Police Scotland received several reports of a motorcycle being driven in a potentially dangerous manner around the city. At no time was the motorcycle pursued by the police.

About 8pm whilst officers were on patrol in Tron Square, Edinburgh two men ran off from police.  A stolen motorcycle was recovered nearby.

During the search for the two men, one went on to a roof top in Cockburn Street, Edinburgh. Due to the height and potential danger that the suspect placed himself at, and potentially officers trying to detain him, specialist public order officers and a police helicopter supported the local policing response.  A cordon was put in place to contain the suspects as well as provide a clear space for the police and fire services to work in.

About 11:50pm one man was detained, whilst the other man remains outstanding and enquiries continue to trace him.

Superintendent Angus MacInnes said: “At no time during the incident on Cockburn Street were the public in any danger. We are aware of speculation on social media sites that this incident involved firearms , however, I can categorically state that was not the case.  At no time was this a “firearms incident” and no firearms officers were deployed to the scene.

“The use of the police helicopter and a small number of officers with shields was simply about ensuring a safe and co-ordinated apprehension of the suspects.  There were clear risks and challenges due to the height and size of the building and our response aimed to manage the risks and to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

“Earlier in the evening, the males riding the motorcycle potentially placed themselves and the public in danger and we are pleased that the motorcycle was recovered and one man detained.  A positive line of enquiry is being followed as we continue to trace the other suspect.”

The Edinburgh Reporter is pleased to bring you a new competition – to win two tickets to the Saturday afternoon opening session of the PDC’s Unibet Masters which takes place at Royal Highland Centre Ingliston next weekend on 1 and 2 November 2014.

The 16 best darts players in the world are coming to Scotland – and you can be there thanks to The Edinburgh Reporter.

The PDC’s Unibet Masters takes place at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh on November 1 and 2.

Tartan trio Gary Anderson, Peter Wright and Robert Thornton will pit their wits against ‘arras’ legends Phil Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Adrian Lewis and others during the two-day spectacular.

The Edinburgh Reporter has a pair of tickets for the Saturday afternoon opening session, the first of four across the weekend with the final taking place on Sunday night.

For a chance to win a pair:

ANSWER THIS QUESTION:

Who is reigning Masters champion?

The competition ends on 28 October 2014 at 5pm. 

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In what is believed to be the first and largest of its kind in East Lothian, primary and junior school pupils from the Musselburgh area will come together for a one-off performance on Monday, 8th December in The Brunton Theatre.

Pupils from 6 Musselburgh schools have been rehearsing a variety of musical numbers since September and the Musselburgh Primary Schools Community Choir will involve around 80 young voices and will be made up of children from:-

Burgh Primary School

Campie Primary School

Loretto Junior School

Pinkie St Peter’s Primary School

Wallyford Primary School

Whitecraig Primary School

Jonathan Hewat, Director of External Affairs at Loretto School, said, “This is a most exciting project for the children and the town of Musselburgh. The children are all working really hard and the performance on 8th December is certainly one not to be missed! The performance will ooze charm, talent, enthusiasm and there will be a few surprised along the way! Quite simply, move over Gareth Malone – the Musselburgh Primary Schools’ Community Choir performance is the one that really matters!”

The Musselburgh Primary Schools’ Community Choir performance takes place on Monday, 8th December at 7:00 p.m. in the Brunton Theatre. The performance is a ticketed event and tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Tickets are free and available by via the participating schools or by emailing tickets@loretto.com  or telephoning 0131 653 4433

Steve Dayman MBE who founded a meningitis charity following the death of his baby son says that babies and children “are dying or suffering disabilities needlessly due to slow bureaucracy”.

The UK has one of the world’s highest Meningitis B rates and it kills more of the country’’s under-fives than any other infectious disease.

It is the UK’’s most common form of bacterial meningitis, with one in 10 dying and one in three survivors suffering life-long after-effects such as brain damage, epilepsy, deafness and blindness.

Fresh Meningitis Now figures show that 1,000 Meningitis B cases could have been prevented had new vaccine Bexsero been introduced after its licence in January 2013.

Of these, around 400 people died or suffered disabilities, which cost the NHS over a lifetime.

Shockingly, around 50 children under-five died.

In March, the Government said Bexsero, which recently won Innovative Product at the UK Prix Galien Awards, the pharmaceutical industry’s Oscars, will be free to babies up to age one on the NHS.

But this follows price negotiations with developer Novartis.

Negotiations only began five months later, in August, and continue, upsetting concerned parents and Meningitis Now.

Dayman, who launched the UK’’s meningitis movement after losing his baby son Spencer to the disease in 1982, believes “enough is enough”.

Steve, who won a Pride of Britain for his 32-year crusade, earlier this month, said: “”Negotiations have gone on too long – cut the red tape now, so no more lives are needlessly lost.

““It’’s ridiculous that negotiations are still going on two-thirds of a year after news the vaccine will be on the NHS.

““I want to bang both parties’ heads together.

““The award-winning vaccine is the most monumental leap forward in the meningitis fight – time lost in introducing it is lives lost and families devastated.””

The UK’’s largest meningitis charity launched Beat it Now! to unite supporters to lobby the Department of Health (DoH) to introduce Bexsero quickly after its licence.

The campaign, which saw a 36,500-name petition delivered to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, now focuses on speeding up negotiations.

Meningitis Now wants everyone to lobby their MPs to ask Mr Hunt why negotiations appear to have stalled and when Bexsero will be introduced.

Bexsero was first delayed when the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises Government, twice deferred a decision to introduce it due to lack of evidence of cost-effectiveness.

After fresh evidence including Meningitis Now information on the disease’s burden on family and survivors’ quality of life, in March the JCVI overturned their original ‘no’.

By law, the Government must accept the ‘yes’, so then announced Bexsero will be free to babies up age one on the NHS, following price negotiations.

To join Beat it Now! or for more information visit www.MeningitisNow.org.

Police have reported this morning that a Scotmid store in Duddingston was held up by an armed robber last night.

The incident happened around 8.55pm last night when a man armed with a knife entered the shop in Duddingston Park and demanded cash.

The shop attendants complied and handed over money from the till. The suspect then ran from the shop in a north direction, before crossing over to the vennel opposite Niddrie Mill Avenue where he went out of sight.

The suspect is described as white, 5ft 10in to 6ft tall, wearing a black hooded top with the hood up, and possibly a ‘Nike’ logo on his left breast, black jogging bottoms, white trainers, black gloves, and black scarf around face.

Detective Inspector John Kavanagh said: “The staff were left traumatised by the event and the man escaped with a four figure sum of cash. We are appealing for anyone who was in the area of Duddingston Park and heard or saw anything suspicious, to contact police on 101.”

Today Hibs play Hearts at Easter Road and fans of both teams are reminded that police will take tough action if there are any alcohol, fireworks or flares found in the ground. 

Over 14,000 spectators are expected to attend at Easter Road Stadium today for the game, which kicks off at 12.15pm. Anti social drinking in the surrounding streets  is not be allowed and officers will be enforcing the Edinburgh by-law in this regard.

In addition, police will be assisting stewards to carry out searches outside the ground to prevent illegal or prohibited items being smuggled in. A specially trained police dog will be deployed to detect explosive or combustible materials. Fans from both sides are urged to ensure their behaviour during the match does not put themselves or others in danger.

Superintendent Liz McAinsh said: “The atmosphere at the Edinburgh derby is always electric and we want all supporters to enjoy the day. Police will be patrolling around the stadium with a focus on stopping anti social street drinking and fans will be subject to searches as a condition of entry to the ground.

“Police Scotland is committed to keeping people safe and while the behaviour of the vast majority of Hearts and Hibs fans is exemplary, the reckless conduct of a small minority could place everyone in danger.

“Anyone found to be in possession of these items, or any other objects that are not permitted within the stadium will be refused entry and may face further police action.”

While Twitter speculated as to what the police activity was in the city centre last night, with a helicopter hovering above the city centre for some time, the reality was that police were searching for someone who had stolen a motorbike.

Police in Edinburgh were in attendance in the Royal Mile  to trace a man in connection with an earlier incident.

The man was reported to be on the roof of a building in the Cockburn Street area and a cordon was put in place.

A spokesman said there was no risk to the public and no armed police were involved.

Enquiries are ongoing to trace the man.

Ric Lander posted these photos on Twitter just before 10pm.

Just seen about 15 riot cops enter a building off anchor close/cockburn st. We don’t know why. pic.twitter.com/AXwDQuhmvw

— Ric Lander (@ricjl) October 25, 2014

Down at the Farm in Gorgie: Storyteller Rosie Mappleback shares some animal tales amidst the cows, sheep, pigs and ducks. Suitable for all ages. 11.30am-12 noon or 1.30-2pm, Gorgie City Farm, 51 Gorgie Road. Free – donations welcome! Part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014.

Tales of a Granny: storytelling sessions to introduce younger children, parents and carers to the riches of Scotland’s story. 11am-1pm (drop-in sessions), Scotland Galleries, National Museum of Scotland, Chambers Street. Free. Suitable for children under 5 and accompanying adults.

GENERATION Tours at the Academy Building: free, discussion-led tours of the exhibition, focusing on key themes and artists. 11-11.45am or 1-1.45pm, Royal Scottish Academy, The Mound. Free and unticketed.

Storytelling for a Greener World: experience natural stories of all kinds in the beautiful setting of the Royal Botanic Gardens. Stories will emerge gently in different locations, while story walks meander between the story encampment and the outer reaches. Also includes introduction to Hawthorn Press’s Storytelling for a Greener World. Tented Village: 20 minute storytelling sessions for ages 4+ and 6+; Story Journeys: leaving from the Tented Village every 15 mins 1-4pm (for all ages); The Dell & John Hope Gateway: short informal sessions for all ages, on the hour and half hour between 1-4pm; Where Curlews Call: specially commissioned performance for adults and older children of stories crafted from the landscape of the North Pennines 3-4pm, Real Life Science Studio, John Hope Gateway. All events at Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row/Arboretum Place. Free. Part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival 2014

Art In Nature: an exhibition by local artists Jill Ashforth, David Bain and Wendy Baillie. Open preview today 3-6pm; contact gallery for opening hours thereafter. Patriothall Gallery, 1D Patriothall, off Hamilton Place, Stockbridge.

Edinburgh Independent Radical Book Fair concludes today with more book launches and discussions . See The Edinburgh Reporter’s article for more details; for full programme visit Word Power Books‘ or Out of the Blue’s websites.  All sessions at Out of the Blue Drill Hall, 35 Dalmeny Street. All events free: donations very welcome.

Broom Making at Beecraigs Country Park: collect and make your own Harry Potter style broom to be proud of – perfect timing for Halloween. For all ages. 2-3.30pm, Beecraigs Country Park, near Linlithgow, EH49 6PL. Prior booking essential, email mail@beecraigs.com or call 01506 844516 between 10am and 4pm.

Storytelling – Macastory: A Soldier’s Tale. In 1914 young Scottish soldier Archie is away from home for the first time, in the trenches of the Western Front. A few hundred yards away is Rudi, a young German soldier. Featuring shadow puppets, song and rhyme, hear the story of their meeting during the 1914 Christmas truce. For ages 7+. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free, unticketed: part of the Scottish International Storytelling Festival.

Whighams Jazz Club: weekly jazz jam and open mic session. This week: Maria Speight. 7.30-11.30pm, Whighams Cellar Bar, 13 Hope Street. See website for more information.

Africa in Motion Children’s Day: fantastically exciting animal stories from across Africa. Join in this interactive and engaging storytelling session with Mara the storyteller: let your imagination run wild, practice your roars and meet other cheeky monkeys! 11.15am, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Free but booking required via Filmhouse box office. Part of the Scotland African Film Festival.

St Giles’ At Six: Nenthorn Ensemble. Lis Dooner (flute). Mozart Flute Concerto No.1 in G, Haydn Symphony No.51 in B flat. 6pm, St Giles’ Cathedral, High Street. Free: retiring collection.

BAFTA nominations for Edinburgh films

TESLA Supercharger now at Edinburgh Airport

Portobello Library

FlyBe increase flights with new winter schedule which starts today

Ghouls at Gladstone’s Land

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Scotland announced its nominations for the British Academy Scotland Awards 2014, honouring the very best Scottish talent in film, television and video games industries.

Films shot in Edinburgh feature high among the nominations including Sunshine on Leith which leads the way with five nominations (Actor Film, two nominations in Actress Film, Director Film/Television and Feature Film); followed closely by Starred Up with four (Actor Film, Director Film/Television, Feature Film and Writer Film/Television) and Filth which has three nominations (Actor Film, Director Film/Television and Feature Film).  James McAvoy, Jack O’Connell and Peter Mullan will battle it out in Actor Film, while Jane Horrocks, Sophie Kennedy Clark and Freya Mavor will compete for Actress Film.

Rosie Ellison, Film Manager for Film Edinburgh said: “Sunshine on Leith and Filth benefited from Edinburgh’s film-friendly production polices when they shot on location in the city.   We’re absolutely thrilled they have received so many BAFTA Scotland award nominations.  Both films show Edinburgh beautifully on screen and we wish all nominees the best of luck.”

Rockstar Games, winner of a BAFTA Scotland Special Award in 2013 and recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship earlier this year, is nominated in Game for Grand Theft Auto V and will be competing against Outplay Entertainment’s Monster Legacy and Firebrand Games’ Solar Flux HD for this year’s title.

The British Academy Scotland Awards is one of the biggest nights in Scotland’s calendar and is renowned for welcoming and honouring an impressive line-up of stars. This year’s ceremony will be hosted by television presenter Hazel Irvine and will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow on Sunday 16 November, when the winners will be unveiled at a glittering ceremony.

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Tesla opened a new Supercharger location at Edinburgh Airport this week, firmly establishing the company’s presence in Scotland. This location is part of a network expansion that will soon allow Model S owners to drive anywhere in the UK relying only on Superchargers. Supercharging is free for Supercharger-enabled vehicles.

The new Supercharging site is accessible from the M8, M9, and A720. The Supercharger is in the car park off Almond Road, near the terminal. Model S drivers gain access to the car park 24 hours a day by pressing the button on the barrier and requesting Supercharger access. One hour free parking is complimentary whilst Supercharging.

“We’re really pleased to open our first Scottish Supercharger. The location makes travel in and around Edinburgh easy and also enables a route from Edinburgh to both Glasgow and Stirling and beyond,” said Georg Ell, Tesla’s UK Country Director. “It’s an exciting time for Tesla in Scotland. There are plans for an Edinburgh store and service centre next year, so watch this space for more activity.”

Gordon Dewar, Chief Executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: “It’s great that Edinburgh Airport is now home to Scotland’s first Tesla Supercharger, which will provide convenient service for Tesla owners when they arrive and depart. We’re committed to giving our passengers the best experience possible and today’s launch is a direct result of customer feedback. We look forward to a new partnership with Tesla and wish them luck in their Scottish ventures.”

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Portobello Library will close for repairs from Monday 27 October to Thursday 30 October.  Essential floor replacement works to be undertaken as a result of sustained damage to the floor. There will be a member of staff in the building during this closure period to assist with any enquiries from customers. Library books can be returned to any library across the city or renewed via our website www.edinburgh.gov.uk/libraries) or by phoning your local library.  Piershill (0131 529 5685) and Craigmillar (0131 529 5597) libraries will be happy to welcome any customers there for the duration of the closure. The library will reopen on Friday 31October. This will obviously affect my surgeries – below. I would be happy to arrange another convenient time and place in Portobello for anyone who wants to see me during that time.  Just phone 0131 529 3268 or 07718 666 481 to make an appointment.

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Passengers flying to and from Edinburgh with Flybe, Europe’s largest regional airline, will benefit from increased connectivity following the start of its 2014/15 winter schedule today featuring significantly enhanced travel options for passengers travelling from the capital’s airport. One way fares are from £27.99 including taxes and charges.

Highlights of Flybe’s Winter Schedule from Scotland to and from Edinburgh include flights on 7 routes with a choice of up to 390 flights a week and a new multi frequency London City service.

Onward connections via Manchester where passengers can take advantage of by-passing congested London airports are proving a popular option with passengers able to link through to Dubai, Helsinki and even further afield to an extensive selection of long haul destinations through codeshare partners Etihad and Finnair.

Paul Simmons, Flybe’s Chief Commercial Officer, comments: “The diversity of our winter network this year is greatly expanded with the new Scottish routes we have added and we’re particularly excited with our three new London City services to London City and the start of the Flybe Shuttle.

“Regional connectivity is our mission and we are always looking at ways to provide improved benefits when customers choose to fly with us. Providing an extensive choice of routes for Scottish customers whose travel plans are time-critical is what Flybe is all about.

“With vastly improved Scottish options to and from Edinburgh including those into the very heart of London, we are not only cementing our position as Europe’s largest regional airline, but also upholding our promise to be faster than rail or road – ‘the fastest way from A to Flybe.’”

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There will ghoulish goings on at the National Trust for Scotland’s Gladstone’s Land on the Royal Mile this weekend, as Halloween approaches.

The frightening fun begins with Witchy Trails which run till 31 October, 10am until 5pm. Visitors will discover more about the infamous witch trials of the Old Town, seeking out clues as they tour one of the Royal Mile’s oldest houses.

Witchy tales will also be the theme at a storytelling event on Saturday 25 October at 2pm and 3.30pm. Come and hear the horrible stories of Scotland’s witches with Fiona Herbert. This event is part of the Storytelling Festival and costs £8 for adults and £6 for children.

Then on Halloween evening, join the team for a night of terrifying tales uncovering some of Auld Reekie’s unpleasant and gruesome past. This event is so scary that it’s only for grown ups – it costs £5 and runs from 4pm – 8pm.

And finally, discover the drama and debauchery of Deacon Brodie and his double life on 1 November at 2pm and 3.30pm at another Storytelling Festival event which costs £8 for adults and £6 for children.

Built in the 17^th century, Gladstone’s Land is one of the Royal Mile’s oldest houses and has stood while some of the area’s most grisly and gory tales took place, including the infamous exploits of Burke and Hare, the notorious Deacon Brodie and much more besides.

Gladstone’s Land is open daily from 10.00 – 17.00, with last admission 30 minutes before closing.  For further information, please phone 0844 493 2120.

I usually spend a Sunday afternoon in the company of my elder daughter Laura and my three grandchildren. I love them dearly (dearly being the operative word, particularly when the ice cream van stops right outside my daughter’s house) I’m not saying the kiddies are boisterous but the bruises and swelling usually clear in a day or two…

Recently, daughter Laura confirmed me as a ‘friend’ on the social networking website Facebook. My other daughter, Michaela, already has me as a ‘friend’ as does my fiancée. I’m not sure whether to be pleased or desperately saddened by this although you may glean from the tone of this article, I’m leaning towards the latter…

Facebook has become a world-wide phenomenon. It can also be quite addictive. Sorry – make that very addictive. When I use the term ‘social networking’ it can, in many ways, be described as anti-social networking. The other day Michaela sent me a message on Facebook, to which I responded fairly quickly. You may ask what is wrong with this – the fact we were in the same house at the same time should answer that question.

There’s something about the idea of Facebook and its ilk that doesn’t sit right with me (and I’m not talking about these ill-fitting trousers I’m wearing) Jeannie Bloggs posts that’s she’s making chicken casserole for supper. Whoop de doo. Then Fred Smith posts that ‘he likes this’ with a thumbs up sign. Now the whole world knows what Jeannie is having for supper and can comment if they wish (providing, of course, they’re ‘friends’ of Jeannie…) Fred is suitably impressed to tell the world he’s very happy at this turn of events and hopes all goes well. Jeannie will them film the ‘event’ with her smart phone and put the clip on Facebook and YouTube. Depending on how many ‘friends’ Jeannie has, the recording of her cooking supper will then be available all around the world. At this point, if you’re like me, you may well be asking ‘why?’ But Chuck in downtown Texas will be thrilled by this and ‘share’ the page with his ‘friends’. Before you know it, ‘innocuous’ has become ‘viral…’

As I type this I have received a message – on Facebook, naturally – from Laura which says ‘she has listed me as her Dad’. To confirm this ‘family request’ I have to follow the link on the message. Hmm. What if I don’t confirm this ‘family request’? Does this mean I’m no longer father to my elder daughter? Has Facebook taken over the world to the extent I have to confirm my relationship with my family members on the site?

Of course, by joining Facebook I’m well aware I am contributing to this sad, almost geeky state of affairs. Laura and Michaela wouldn’t hesitate to tell you they think I’m the world’s biggest geek in any case. As I say, Facebook can become addictive and there are those who go on the site several times a day, every day. On the plus side, I have made contact with some people I haven’t heard from in years – although some of them won’t make ‘real’ contact by phone or email, they’ll continue to do so via Facebook. Which makes me think, are they real friends or are they just keen to impress the world with how many people they know?

I now find that I need to check my daughters Facebook page in order to find out news about how they are. If the kids are ill, it’s on Facebook. Now, you can call mean an old fogey (you’re an old fogey – Ed) but I find it rather disconcerting that someone in Australia finds out my four year old daughter has a tummy bug before I do…

Perhaps I’m being cynical. Which is unlike me, I know. However, when I was a small child in the late 1960s, I used to have an imaginary friend. Now, nearly 50 years later, I’m on Facebook – and I have more than 60 of them…